President Tô Lâm meets second grade students at Nguyễn Du Lao-Vietnamese bilingual school. — VNA/VNS Photo Nhan Sáng

VIENTIANE — President Tô Lâm visited the Nguyễn Du Lao-Vietnamese bilingual school in Vientiane on Friday as part of his ongoing state visit to Laos, underscoring the deep-rooted educational collaboration between the two nations.

Located in Dong Paleb village, Chanthabouly District, the school was built in 2005 with funding exceeding US$500,000 from the Vietnamese Party and Government. The Lao Government provided a 10,379 sq.m plot of land for its construction, which was completed in 2008.

The school is managed by the Vietnamese Association in Vientiane, with direct guidance from the Vietnamese Embassy in Laos and professional oversight from the Lao Ministry of Education and Sports.

It offers classes from pre-school to high school, providing a bilingual education in Vietnamese and Lao languages, adhering to the curriculum framework of the Lao Ministry of Education and Sports. Currently, the school boasts over 1,000 students, with around 30 per cent being children of the Vietnamese descent, and a team of around 60 staff members.

President Lâm commended the school for its achievements over its 16 years of development, highlighting its vital role in fostering the friendly relations, special solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation between Việt Nam and Laos, particularly in education.

He underlined the importance of inspiring and cultivating idealism and ethics in the younger generation, especially by educating them on the historical traditions and strong bonds between the two countries.

On the occasion, President Lâmdonated $30,000 to assist in expanding the school's kindergarten area. He expressed his hope that the success of the Nguyễn Du school model would be replicated in other Lao localities, further strengthening educational ties between the two nations. — VNS