A Singaporean student who believes that Asean schools should offer safe sex education as part of their teaching curriculum has won first place in the Young Speakers Contest in Vientiane .

According to an announcement of the judging committee of the contest, released on Tuesday at the Farewell Dinner for the Participants of the 9 th Educational Forum and Young Speakers Contest at the Cosmo Hotel in Vientiane , Ms Crystella Prathap, a Singaporean university student, took first place in the competition, receiving a cash prize of US$ 1,000.

Ms Prathap is a young student who strongly expressed her opinion that safe sex education would be the best way to reduce numbers of people in the region infected with HIV/AIDS.

She explained that when people know the way to prevent the disease, they apply that knowledge and avoid becoming infected with incurable diseases, according to a member of judging committee, the Acting Dean of the Faculty of Letters, Associate Prof. Dr Buasavanh Keovilay, one of the judges.

The judge said the first winner argued that Asian students should never be shy about talk about HIV/AIDS prevention....read more >>

“I asked the winner to talk about the fact that some people in Asean nations consider HIV/AIDS prevention a taboo issue in society. Does she think the introduction of such curriculum would encourage young people to have more love affairs?” she recalled.

The winner responded well, saying that since it was impossible to prevent young people from engaging in love affairs, the only way to is to tell them how to protect themselves, according to Dr Buasavanh.

“She answered that the curriculum will not encourage students to have love affairs but will tell them how to protect themselves from infection with HIV/AIDS,” she added, quoting the winner's answer.

The second and third places in the annual contest went to Filipino university student Mr Kikko Angelo Ramos, who received an award of US$500 and Singaporean university student Ms Ling Pei Shan, who received US$250.

The topic of the contest was “One Asean at the Heart of Dynamic Asia”. In the second round, contestants were given a different topic. Each had some time to prepare their presentation before they spoke in front of the judging committee.

Dr Buasavanh said that the Singaporean and Philippine contestants were advantaged among the students from other Asean nations because as they speak English as their official language, while students from other nations speak English as a foreign language.

“These students do not only speak English well but they also come up with critical thinking and vision,” she said.

Dr Buasavanh said that the Lao contestant was selected from among the best students in the English Department of the Faculty of Letters, but was shy about presenting her ideas in public and did not have a str ong vision.

She said Lao students needed to learn a lot about how to speak in public and how to present logical reasons to convince the public about what they believed in.

A member of the contest's organising committee, Dr Alongkone Saignaleuth said the National University of Laos had been a competitor in the contest since it began in 1997. A Lao student took second place in the contest two years ago in the Philippines , he said.

By Ekaphone Phouthonesy

Booyoung Co Ltd donates US$2.5 million for the construction of 100 primary schools.

A South Korean company presented more than US$2.5 million to the Foundation for Promoting Education on Monday for the construction of 100 primary schools nationwide.

The Booyoung Co Ltd wants to help raise the standard of education in Laos as well as encourage the development of Lao children...more

The donation was handed over by the company's adviser, Mr Chang Myung-Kwan, and received by Standing Deputy Prime Minister Mr Somsavat Lengsavad, witnessed by officials, the Minister of Education Dr Somkot Mangnomek, and the Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Laos , Mr Park Jae-hyun.

It is anticipated that the first 50 schools will be completed by the start of the next academic year in September, and the remainder should be constructed by March 2008.

The first primary school will be built in Thami village, Hinboun district, Khammuan province, by the DM Construction Company.

In addition, a number of other construction companies are also preparing the groundwork for school buildings in other provinces. Each school will have five classrooms, a teachers' room, and a toilet.

During the presentation ceremony, Mr Chang Myung-Kwan took the opportunity to read out a greeting from the Chairman of Booyoung Co Ltd, Mr Lee Joong-keun, who unfortunately was unable to be in Laos on this occasion.

The message said: “The company's present donation is a follow-up to the past donation of 28,000 blackboards aimed at promoting Lao children's education across the country.”

The Booyoung Co Ltd reaffirmed the provision of future assistance for education related activities in Laos . The company has also expressed its willingness to explore investment opportunities in various economic sectors of the country.

Mr Chang Myung-Kwan said this kind of effort would help to strengthen relations between Laos and the Republic of Korea .

Mr Somsavat expressed his profound appreciation for the generous donation and hoped that the company would continue assisting Laos , not only in the field of education, but also in rural development and poverty reduction.

He said Mr Lee was a generous man who wanted to help poor children get access to education. The government would create favourable conditions for the company to invest in Laos in various sectors.

The company pledged its assistance in building 100 primary schools during a visit by Mr Somsavat to the Republic of Korea in March.

So far, the company has donated more than US$20 million to buy blackboards for primary schools in Laos , Vietnam and Cambodia , and an additional US$2 million to develop various public facilities.

During the ceremony, Mr Somsavat, who is also the Honorary Chairman of the Foundation for Promoting Education, handed over a cheque worth US$7,500, the equivalent of 30 percent of the total construction cost of US$25,000 to the General Manager of the DM Construction Company, Mrs Douangta Matmanisone, who was awarded the contract to build the first primary school in Khammuan province.

By vientiane times

The saying goes that if the hard-working Vietnamese sew the rice, Cambodia's creative types would plant it in pretty rows, while their relaxed Laotian neighbours watch it grow. And nowhere is this south-east Asian stereotype truer than in Laos.

From lazy trips down the Mekong to sipping green tea against the backdrop of crumbling post-French grandeur in Luang Prabang, this rural gem of a country offers you the chance to step back and unwind on an active holiday with a supremely laid-back twist... more

Cross the Mekong from Chiang Khong in northern Thailand to Huay Xai and you can get a two-week visa on arrival, or you can arrange a month's stay before you leave Thailand. It will be two days on the slow boat with an overnight stop before you reach Luang Prabang, but well worth the effort. What this journey lacks in comfort - more than you can imagine - it certainly makes up for in scenery. Moody grey-brown waters carry you relentlessly forward through Laos' green hills.

However, if you would rather reach Laos in more comfort, a flight from Bangkok is the easiest way. Thai Airways and Lao Airlines will get you to the capital Vientiane in little over an hour.

It is hard to imagine a town more perfect than Luang Prabang. The elegant simplicity of the Buddhist temples stand in stark contrast to their golden counterparts in Thailand or India, and the crumbling opulence of the French era leaves a stylish atmosphere you will struggle to find elsewhere in Asia. Foodies should head down to the river where there is a great BBQ joint. Be bold, for this is the place to try buffalo, chicken's feet and all manner of insect-related delicacies.

The breathtaking Kuang Si waterfalls are about 40 minutes drive south of town and you can get a lift with a tour guide. Threeland Travel are most helpful, or alternatively you can take a local tuk-tuk at break-neck speed down a dirt track road to this postcard from paradise.

After a surreal walk through a mini zoo, you will find perfect blue-green lagoons for swimming and several tiers of waterfalls to play with. If you fancy yourself as a Herbal Essences lady, then test your endurance under one of the falls - you will not last long.

From Luang Prabang let the adventure take you to Phonsavanh and the plain of jars. The clue is in the name here and you can expect hundreds and hundreds of huge stone jars of disputed origin. Some believe they were used as burial sites, others that they were used to store rice wine - something of a national obsession.

Having tried this potent spirit, you may not want to imagine a container this size full of it, particularly since your guide is likely to have offered up a swig at breakfast time. You should note that a tour guide is needed for this trip and you should not stray from marked paths as Uncle Sam bombed the area heavily during the Vietnam War leaving a disastrous amount of unexploded ordnance as his legacy. Stone Henge this is not, but it is well worth a look.

From Phonsavanh, whether your active holiday takes you south to the 4,000 islands of Si Phan Don or west to the limestone peaks of Vang Vieng, count on two things: the omnipresent Mekong and natural treasures untold.

For more information on visiting Laos see the official Laos tourism website and the travelbite country guide.

Amy Morris
Source: www.travelbite.co.uk

The searching for the best Lao high school students nationwide in 4 respective subjects: Mathematic, Lao literature, Physics and chemistry was officially announced in Vientiane this week. To my surprise, the score of mathemetic had a very big jump between the first and third winners. This indicated that the level of mathematic in Laos is still far away from international standards. To view full results in Lao language, click here:.

*(ຂປລ):ກົມສາມັນສຶກສາ, ກະຊວງສຶກສາທິການ ໄດ້ປະກາດຜົນການ ແຂ່ງຂັນສອບເສັ່ງນັກຮຽນເກັ່ງ ວິຊາຄະນິດສາດ, ພາສາລາວ ວັນນະຄະດີຄັ້ງທິ XVIII ແລະຟິຊິກສາດ, ເຄມີສາດຄັ້ງທີ V ຊັ້ນມໍ6 ປະຈຳສົກຮຽນ 2006-2007 ຊຶ່ງໄດ້ມີການຈັດຕັ້ງການສອບເສັງ ລະຫວ່າງ 24-27 ເມສາ 2007 ຢູ່ທີ່ສະຖາບັນຄົ້ນຄວ້າ ເສດຖະກິດ ແຫ່ງຊາດ ນະຄອນຫລວງວຽງຈັນ ເພື່ອກະກຽມ ຄັດເລືອກເອົານັກຮຽນເກັ່ງໃນ 4 ວິຊາ ເປັນຕົວແທນເຂົ້າຮ່ວມ ການແຂ່ງຂັນໃນລະດັບປະເທດ ຊຶ່ງ ນັກຮຽນເກັ່ງ ໃນ 4 ວິຊາທີ່ສາມາດສອບເສັງໄດ້ປະເພດທີ I ຫາ ທີ III ລວມມີ 12 ຄົນຄື:

ປະເພດທີ I

ວິຊາຄະນິດສາດໄດ້ແກ່ ທ້າວ ວ່າມົວ, ນັກຮຽນຊັ້ນ ມສ ວຽງຈັນ ນະຄອນຫລວງວຽງຈັນ ໄດ້ຄະແນນ 9,5.

ປະເພດIວິຊາພາສາລາວ-ວັນນະຄະດີ ໄດ້ແກ່ ທ້າວ ໄຊຍະສິນ ພົມມະຈັນ, ນັກຮຽນຊັ້ນ ມສ ໂຮງຮຽນກ້າວໜ້າ ນະຄອນຫລວງວຽງຈັນ ໄດ້ຄະແນນ 8,7.

ປະເພດI ວິຊາເຄມີສາດ ໄດ້ແກ່ທ້າວ ເມັ່ງເລົ່າ ນັກຮຽນ ມ ປາຍ ໂຮງຮຽນໂພນສະຫວັນ ແຂວງຊຽງແຂວງ ໄດ້ຄະແນນ 8. ແລະ ປະເພດ I ພາກວິຊາຟິຊິກສາດ ໄດ້ແກ່ ທ້າວ ຄຳຈັນ ຊົ່ງ ນັກຮຽນ ມສ ສັນຕິພາບ ແຂວງຫລວງພະບາງ ໄດ້ຄະແນນ 7.

ປະເພດທີ II

ວິຊາຄະນິດສາດ ແມ່ນ ທ້າວ ດາທໍ ເພຍຫລວງ ນັກຮຽນ ມສ ຫລັກ 52 ແຂວງວຽງຈັນ ຄະແນນ 5,25.

ວິຊາພາສາລາວ-ວັນນະຄະດີ ທ້າວ ຈັນສະມຸດ ສາຍພາກພູມ ນັກຮຽນຊັ້ນ ມສ ໂຮງຮຽນຕົ້ນເຜີ້ງ ແຂວງບໍແກ້ວ ຄະແນນ 7,9.

ວິຊາເຄມີ ໄດ້ແກ່ ທ້າວ ວຽງໄຊ ມສ ສັນຕິພາບ ແຂວງຫລວງພະບາງ ເສັງໄດ້ຄະແນນ 7,

ວິຊາຟິຊິກສາດ ແມ່ນ ນາງ ອາລິຍາ ບູລົມ ນັກຮຽນ ມສ ສະຫວັນ ແຂວງສະຫວັນນະເຂດ

ປະເພດທີ III

ວິຊາຄະນິດສາດ ແມ່ນທ້າວ ເຊັ່ງວ່າງ ນັກຮຽນຊັ້ນ ມ​ໍປາຍ ໂພນສະຫວັນ ແຂວງຊຽງແຂວງ ໄດ້ຄະແນນ3,5.

ວິຊາພາສາລາວ-ວັນນະຄະດີ ແມ່ນນາງ ບຸນເຮືອງ ໂພສານ ມສ ໂພນໄຊ ແຂວງຈຳປາສັກ ໄດ້ຄະແນນ 7,3. ວິຊາເຄມີສາດ ໄດ້ແກ່ ນາງ ສາຍສຸລິທອນ ສໍປະເສີດ ມສ ສະຫວັນ ແຂວງສະຫວັນນະເຂດ ໄດ້ຄະແນນ 6,

ວິຊາຟິຊິກ ແມ່ນທ້າວ ວິລະຍຸດ ວົງສົມໄຊ ນັກຮຽນ ມສ ວຽງຈັນ ນະຄອນຫລວງວຽງຈັນ ໄດ້ຄະແນນ 5

ໃນລະຫວ່າງການສອບເສັງນັ້ນ ໄດ້ມີນັກຮຽນມັດທະຍົມເຂົ້າຮ່ວມໃນ 4 ວິຊາ ມີທັງໝົດ 68 ຄົນ ຍິງ 24 ຄົນ ທີ່ມາຈາກ 16 ແຂວງ ແລະ ນະຄອນຫລວງວຽງຈັນ.

ສຳລັບນັກຮຽນເກັ່ງປະເພດທີ I ຫາ III ສອບເສັງທີ່ໄດ້ຄະແນນແຕ່ 6 ຂຶ້ນໄປທາງກະຊວງສຶກສາທິການໄດ້ມອບທຶນພິເສດ ສາມາດເຂົ້າຮຽນຢູ່ມະຫາວິທະຍາໄລແຫ່ງຊາດ ໂດຍບໍ່ໄດ້ສອບເສັງຜ່ານ ແລະເສຍຄ່າຮຽນ ແຕ່ຜົນການສອບເສັງຈົບຊັ້ນມ 6 ທຸກວິຊາຕ້ອງໄດ້ ຄະແນນ 5 ຂຶ້ນໄປ./.

ຄັດຈາກຫນັງສືພິມປະຊາຊົນ