Ministry of Education and Sports and Australia launch two impactful videos to promote the value of education

On Monday 30^th March 2026, the Ministry of Education and Sports of Lao PDR (MoES), with support from the Australian Government through the BEQUAL program, officially launched two new Education Promotion Campaign videos. The videos complete a four‑part series produced by the Research Institute of Educational Sciences and designed to change perceptions about the value of education, reduce dropouts and motivate teachers. They highlight how education creates opportunities for students, reassures parents, and mobilises whole communities to support learning. More than 200 guests attended the high-level launch event in Vientiane, including representatives from National Assembly, all MoES departments, Provincial Education and Sports Services, District Education and Sports Bureaus, Teacher Training Colleges, Universities, Institutes, schools, media outlets, the Australian Embassy and development partners. The event was chaired by Dr Daravone Kittiphanh, Vice Minister of Education and Sports, Lao PDR and Ms Benita Sommerville, Deputy Ambassador for Australia.

Dr Daravone Kittiphanh said “With Australia’s close partnership, the Ministry of Education and Sports has developed this campaign to address urgent challenges, including declining student enrolments and the need to motivate and retain skilled teachers. Students and parents are losing faith that education will lead to better opportunities in life. These films show why education matters and recognise the vital role educators, teachers, community members, parents and students play in building our nation’s future. At the heart of the campaign is one key message we want the audience to remember: education is not just about getting a job, it’s about gaining skills, thinking critically, and having the freedom to create your own future.”

Ms Benita Sommerville, Deputy Ambassador for Australia, said “Australia is proud to support MoES in advancing its priorities, from curriculum and teacher professional development to changing public attitudes about learning. This campaign is designed to inspire change through short, impactful films that touch hearts and open minds. Our aim is to change how people see education: to show students and parents that education increases opportunities, builds important skills, and helps people shape their own futures.”

Although the stories in the videos are fictional, they were inspired by real experiences to portray emotionally engaging narratives, highlight common challenges, and send a clear message for audiences to relate to and act on. Two highly respected public figures lend credibility and emotional weight to the campaign: Mr Phankham Viphavanh, former Prime Minister, Deputy President and former Minister of Education and Sports of Lao PDR, delivers a powerful statement on the importance of education in “The Teacher’s Value”, launched last October. Ms Payengxar Lor, the first Hmong woman to represent Laos at the Miss Universe competition and a well‑known advocate for education, narrates the other three videos and helps bring the stories to life.

The two new videos launched at the event are “The Dream” and “The Village that sees the importance of education.” “The Dream” is an emotional story featuring a determined young girl from an ethnic minority family who writes a heartfelt letter to her poor parents asking for their support to continue her studies and follow her dream. It promotes gender equality by encouraging girls to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) . “The Village that sees the importance of education” tells the story of a village that unites to create a more prosperous future and bring children back to school, highlighting the power of collective action. It includes an inclusive storyline of a child with a disability who attends school and becomes a teacher twenty years later. It also touches on climate change with scenes of young children studying the effects of flooding. These two new videos complement the earlier episodes “The Two Paths” and “The Teacher’s Value,” which show a conversation between a father and son debating whether staying in school is worth it, and celebrate and motivate teachers by showing the long‑term impact of their work. All videos portray young people’s futures based on their education choices, and emphasise how education equips students with essential skills, critical thinking abilities and opportunities to build meaningful lives.

Dr Daravone Kittiphanh explained “The videos are fictional stories but inspired by real experiences so families can see themselves in the characters represented and be invited to act. We hope they can move the message from the screen into real choices, choices that keep children learning, build local support for schools, and strengthen teacher retention.”

Ms Benita Sommerville commented “I particularly welcome the videos’ inclusive and forward‑looking themes. They show girls pursuing STEM, children with disabilities fully participating in school life, young people learning about climate change and its impacts, and whole communities coming together to improve learning for all. These are precisely messages Australia supports and is proud to see reflected on screen.”

After the premiere screenings the audience heard real testimonies from people who changed their lives thanks to education.  Certificates recognising campaign contributors were distributed to acknowledge the many individuals and organisations involved at each stage of production.

Dr Daravone Kittiphanh said, “The completion of this campaign marks an important milestone for our national efforts to strengthen learning and create opportunities for every child. I call on partners, media, provincial and district education offices, teachers and community leaders to broadcast and screen the films widely so that visibility leads to local dialogue, increased school attendance and stronger community ownership of education. The films are tools for teachers, parents and community leaders, to start conversations in classrooms, in village meetings and at home.”

Ms Benita Sommerville concluded, “Australia is proud to have supported the development and production of these creative and locally rooted films. They speak directly to parents, students and teachers with honesty and hope. We look forward to working with MoES and partners to ensure these stories are seen widely and inspire action at the community level.”