Ventura Vega Osorio appointed as Panama Minister of Education

Ventura Vega Osorio has been sworn in as Panama’s new Minister of Education, replacing Lucy Molinar. Appointed by President José Raúl Mulino, Vega Osorio intends to focus his administration on improving teaching quality, addressing the needs of students and teachers, and modernizing the national educational system.

His proposed agenda includes promoting an Educational Law to strengthen the system, constructing safe and modern school infrastructure, and increasing the integration of technology in classrooms. He emphasized that the acquisition of technological tools will be conducted under principles of legality and transparency.

Vega Osorio is an industrial engineer with a background in public administration, having previously served as Secretary General of the Office of the Comptroller General and Director General of the Transit and Land Transportation Authority (ATTT). His appointment has faced scrutiny from teacher unions and citizens due to his administrative rather than pedagogical background. He was also previously acquitted in court regarding legal investigations related to his former role at the ATTT.