HANOI, March 22 (Xinhua) -- The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has funded Laos nearly 21.6 million U.S. dollars to help the country develop its education sector, Laos' news agency KPL reported Thursday.

Under agreements signed between the ADB and Lao finance ministry in the country's Vientiane capital on Wednesday, the fund, including a non-refundable aid worth roughly 12.7 million dollars, and a credit valued at 8.9 million dollars will be used to build schools, improve curriculum, provide teaching and learning materials, and support education policies.

The fund makes important contribution to help Laos' education sector implement basic education reform and development, said the agency.

Education is one of the Lao government's top priorities in its socioeconomic development plant in the 2006-2010 period.