A/HRC/41/39/Add.4 - Transition rate: 88.0% (compared to students who can pass the exam) Regarding the dormitories, the Ministry of Education would like to inform the Special Rapporteur that currently there are total of 377 dormitories in place and the ministry has planned to build more to accommodate the increasing numbers of students. 27. Under the subheading “Education” para 7 on percentage of schools with electricity The Ministry of Education and Sports observes that the information used in the statement is inaccurate. According to the actual survey conducted by Education and Sports Statistics Center of the Ministry, it is found that 50% of all primary schools have electricity and 82% of all secondary schools have access to electricity. 28. Under the subheading “Education” para 9 on teachers Regarding the school teacher’s salary being deducted to contribute to the national disaster relief fund, in reality the Ministry of Education and Sports did not have such policy or issued any order to deduct salary for the said fund. Furthermore, the number of teachertrainees dropping by 12% in colleges is not due to salary issues, but it is in accordance with the policy of the Ministry of Education and Sports to adjust the teacher’s deficit-surplus rates by reducing sectors where there are surpluses, which lead to the reduced number of teacher-trainees. 29. Under the heading “7. Civil society space/participation” para 3 The Lao people have the right to express themselves within the boundaries of the laws and regulations of the nation, while this right must not infringe upon the rights of other people, the limitations that have been legally set for the said purposes are well within limitations permitted by the ICCPR as the government has explained during the country’s review last year. The matters concerning CSOs have also been clarified during the SR’s visit and other parts of this comments to the End of Mission Statement. Please consider rephrasing or remove this paragraph altogether. 30. Under the heading “7. Civil society space/participation” para 4 These matters have already been clarified during Lao PDR’s review under the ICCPR and other treaty reviews, Please remove these sentences. 31. Under the heading “7. Civil society space/participation” para 5 These cases have been clarified to relevant UN treaty bodies, propose for removal. Furthermore, Lao PDR does not interfere with the internal politics of the neighbouring country. The Lao border authorities have no record of such individuals entering the territory of Laos. The mentioning by the Special Rapporteur of this issue is deemed as an unethical attempt by the Special Rapporteur to create political persuasions in the neighbouring country, which is well beyond the mandate of the SR and the territory of the Lao PDR. Propose for removal. 32. Under the heading “7. Civil society space/participation” para 6 The so called “exit tax” has already been clarified to the UN Human Rights Committee. Human Rights Watch has had no access to Somsanga Drug Rehabilitation Center, while the Special Rapporteur on Sale and Exploitation of Children did during her visit in 2017. 7