Sunshine School

Sunshine School (or Souliya School as it is known in Lao) is a Lao school situated in the heart of Vientiane, the capital city of Laos. The school was established in 1996 and is officially licensed and registered with the Lao government. In 2019-2020 they had roughly 390 students ranging from nursery level to the end of middle school.

Headmistress Didi Gaorii with pupil and staff during an award ceremony

The school is a non-profit, non-denominational institution dedicated to providing a universal, ethically-based education through integrated learning and the holistic development of the child. The school’s guiding philosophy is based on the concepts of Neo-humanist Education as given by P.R. Sarkar, a 20th century Indian philosopher. Many of these concepts are founded in the ancient science of astaunga yoga.

The school aims to awaken each child’s thirst for knowledge while developing their whole personality through:
• creative, child-centered learning,
• integrated learning, encouraging children to make connections between disciplines, knowledge and events,
• ethically-based education,
• awakening each child’s spiritual awareness,
• nurturing a spirit of service and social consciousness,
• environmental education,
• appreciation of local culture as well as diverse global cultures.

Sunshine pupils learn how to be self-motivated, to make constructive choices, to achieve their personal best in academics, and to find a sense of purpose in life. Sunshine School is the only vegetarian school in Laos. They place a strong emphasis on environmentally friendly practices and encourage pupils to respect all living and non-living aspects of the universe.

Along with all the subjects in the Lao national curriculum, English language is taught daily in all the classes. Pupils also benefit from volunteers from all over the world who come to share their skills. This exposure and the effective English language program give our students confidence to speak English which is a tremendous tool for their success in future life. Recently the school also introduced a Chinese language program.

The school gives the opportunity for pupils to display their performing talents on several occasions throughout the year. This encourages expression of individual talents, team work, self-confidence and leadership skills.