Dr Daravone Kittiphanh, Vice Minister of Education and Sports

The videos highlight how education creates opportunities for students, reassures parents and mobilises entire communities to support learning.

More than 200 guests attended the high-level launch event in Vientiane, including representatives from the 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, and Ms Benita Sommerville, Deputy Ambassador for Australia.

 Ms Benita Sommerville, Deputy Ambassador for Australia.

“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 is about gaining skills, thinking critically and having the freedom to create your own future,” said Dr Daravone Kittiphanh.

Ms Benita Sommerville, Deputy Ambassador for Australia, stated, “Australia is proud to support MoES in advancing its priorities, from curriculum development 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 perceive education: to show students and parents that education increases opportunities, builds essential skills and helps individuals shape their own futures.”

Although the stories presented in the videos are fictional, they are inspired by real experiences in order to create emotionally engaging narratives, highlight common challenges and deliver clear, relatable messages that encourage audiences to take action. Two highly respected public figures lend credibility and emotional depth 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”, which was 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, helping to bring the stories vividly 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 parents, asking for their support to continue her studies and pursue her aspirations. The film 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 community 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. The film also touches on climate change, with scenes of children studying the effects of flooding.

These two new videos complement the earlier episodes, “The Two Paths” and “The Teacher’s Value”, which depict a conversation between a father and son debating whether staying in school is worthwhile, while also celebrating and motivating teachers by demonstrating the long-term impact of their work. Together, all four videos portray young people’s futures based on their educational 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 they are inspired by real experiences so that families can see themselves in the characters represented and feel encouraged to act. We hope they can move the message from the screen into real decisions—decisions that keep children learning, build local support for schools and strengthen teacher retention.”

Ms Benita Sommerville added, “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 entire communities coming together to improve learning for all. These are precisely the messages Australia supports and is proud to see reflected on screen.”

Following the premiere screenings, the audience heard real testimonies from individuals whose lives had been transformed through education, reinforcing the campaign’s message with lived experiences. Certificates recognising campaign contributors were also distributed to acknowledge the many individuals and organisations involved at each stage of production.

Dr Daravone Kittiphanh concluded, “The completion of this campaign marks an important milestone in 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 increased visibility leads to local dialogue, improved school attendance and stronger community ownership of education. These films are practical tools for teachers, parents and community leaders to initiate conversations in classrooms, village meetings and homes.”

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

KPL