Vietnam has trained more than 5,000 Lao students and helped Laos improve educational infrastructure, Vietnamese Minister of Education and Training Pham Vu Luan told a conference in central Da Nang City on Sept. 7.

At the Vietnam-Laos Education Cooperation Conference, the two ministries agreed to improve the quality of education in both countries as well as co-operating in human-resource training.

"The cooperation in education between the two ministries is part of the special relationship between the two countries. We have joined hands with Vietnam in organising training courses for further education and improving the quality of teachers in Laos ," said Lao Minister of Education and Sport Phankham Viphavan.

Luan said Viet Nam had helped train 750 Lao students as Bachelors of Arts and holders of Master's degrees.

Phankham Viphavan, who is also chairman of the Laos-Viet Nam Friendship Association, said that Laos was delighted at the education opportunities offered to high quality students.

From 2002-11, Da Nang alone has provided 600,000 USD to build schools and equipment in the provinces of Sekong, Salavan and Savanakhet and trained more than 500 students from Laos . /.