The Honโble Lyonpo for Education and Skills Development, Yeezang De Thapa, attended the Global Conference on Education for a Sustainable Future (GCE2026), held from February 11 to 12 in Bangkok, Thailand.
Held under the theme โTransforming Education to Transform the World,โ the event brought together policymakers, education ministers, academicians, university leaders, youth representatives, and international organisations. The discussions focused on creating transformative education systems with a particular focus on Sustainable Development Goal 4: Quality Education and the broader 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Delivering the keynote address, Lyonpo highlighted that under the Royal Vision, Bhutan is undertaking significant reforms to shift its education system from rote learning to meaningful and holistic learning, ensuring students develop critical thinking, adaptability, collaboration, and a strong sense of social responsibility.
Lyonpo outlined Bhutanโs key education priorities including introducing a globally benchmarked, competency-based curriculum; strengthening teacher professional development, revitalising technical and vocational education as a pathway of dignity, and investing in future-ready institutions. These reforms, she said, are guided by a commitment to inclusive, relevant and future-ready education.
Lyonpo emphasised that education transformation must focus on meaningful learning outcomes, support lifelong learning, ensure ethical and inclusive digital innovation, and promote global solidarity to address shared challenges such as climate change and skills disruption. She called for stronger collaboration to harness education as a powerful force for sustainable development and human well-being for present and future generations.
Over the two-day conference, delegates engaged in academic discussions, policy dialogues and shared practical solutions aimed at strenthening ethical, inclusive, and future-ready education systems.
Bhutanโs participation is expected to deepen international cooperation in education, contribute to a shared global vision for transformative and inclusive learning and facilitate the exchange of best practices with other countries.
The conference was organised by the Sustainable Development Council in collaboration with leading academic institutions and international organisations.
Following the conference participation, Lyonpo visited key institutions in Bangkok between February 13-17, including Chitralada Technology Institute, Teachersโ Council of Thailand, EtonHouse International School, Chulalongkorn University, and the Princess Maha Chakri Award Foundation to observe institutional best practices and explore potential partnerships.
The visits focused on strengthening collaboration in technical and vocational education, teacher professional standards, international schooling, STEM education, and music education, as well as promoting teacher excellence, aligning with Bhutanโs ongoing education transformation initiatives.
