Laos

The Lao People’s Democratic Republic (PDR) is amongst the fastest growing economies in the world, but corruption remains a widespread problem. Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) classifies Laos as the second most corrupt country in the Association of South East Asian Nation (ASEAN). Controlling corruption, however, is a challenge given party control has curtailed institutional independence between the judiciary, government and bureaucracy, which has served to entrench the party’s power and control of resources. Despite recent increases in spending on education, the government has failed to ensure inclusiveness, and the quality of teaching and learning outcomes remain low partly due to corrupt practices such as nepotism, cronyism and political patronage.

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