Vientiane: Minister of Education and Sports, Mr. Thongsalith Mangnormek, welcomed Mr. Bilal Aurang Zeb Durrani, the newly appointed UNICEF Country Representative to the Lao PDR, during a courtesy visit at the Ministry on July 2. Mr. Durrani’s visit aimed to congratulate Mr. Thongsalith on his appointment as Minister and to reaffirm UNICEF’s commitment to strengthening the education sector in Laos.
According to Lao News Agency, the meeting between Mr. Thongsalith and Mr. Durrani focused on enhancing cooperation in alignment with Laos’ national education priorities. These priorities include increasing enrollment rates across all levels of education, improving education quality for better learning outcomes and skills development, and addressing school dropout rates and teacher shortages.
Additionally, the discussions highlighted the importance of promoting parental and community engagement in education, upgrading school environments, and expanding quality early childhood education services. Both parties emphasized the need for developing age-appropriate curricula that incorporate play-based learning and enhancing the modernity of educational institutions to attract more students.
Strengthening foundational learning and ensuring equitable access to quality education were also crucial points of discussion. Both parties reiterated their shared goal of gradually elevating the standard of education in Laos, ensuring that all children receive quality learning opportunities in safe, inclusive, and supportive environments.