Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization Southeast Asian

Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization

Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization a chartered regional intergovernmental organization established in Bangkok on 30 November 1965

Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization SEAMEO Purpose: To promote cooperation among Southeast Asian nations through education, science and culture to further respect for justice, the rule of law and fundamental freedoms which are the birthrights of the peoples of the world

SEAMEO Milestones 1965 SEAMEO was established following the meeting among the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education and the Special Adviser to the President of the United States

Original Country Delegates • • • H. E. M. L. Pin Malakul, Thailand H. E. Tao Leuam Insisienmay, Lao PDR H. E. M. K. Johari, Malaysia H. E. Ong Pang Boon, Singapore H. E. Tran Ngoc Ninh, South Vietnam Mrs. Geronima T. Pecson, Chairman National Commission for UNESCO of the Phillippines and Mr. Eugene R. Black, Special Adviser to the President of the United States of America

SEAMEO Member States Brunei Darussalam (1981) Cambodia (1968) Indonesia (1965) Lao PDR (1965) Malaysia (1965) Myanmar (1997) Philippines (1965) Singapore (1965) Thailand (1965) Timor-Leste (2006) Vietnam (1992)

SEAMEO Associate Members Australia (1973) Canada (1988) France (1973) Germany (1990) Netherlands (1993) New Zealand (1973) Norway (2005) SEAMEO Affiliate Members International Council for Open and Distance Education (1999)

SEAMEO Units CHAT INNOTECH SPAFA Secretariat TROPMED Philippines RIHED TROPMED Network SEARCA RETRAC TROPMED Thailand VOCTECH RECSAM • 11 Specialised Regional Centres TROPMED Malaysia • Network (with 4 centres) on tropical medicine and public health RELC TROPMED Indonesia SEAMOLEC BIOTROP • Secretariat

The SEAMEO Calendar March Annual SEAMEO Council Conference • Forum for discussion of policy and regional initiatives • Sets directions for programmes and projects of SEAMEO and its units • Reviews programmes and activities of the organization

The SEAMEO Calendar July • Strategic planning for Centre Directors Meeting implementation of the SEAMEO Council resolutions (CDM) • Forum for coordination of programme actions and operations of SEAMEO units August – September Centre Governing Board Meetings

The SEAMEO Calendar November SEAMEO High Officials Meeting (HOM) • Preparatory meeting for the SEAMEO Council Conference • Reviews programmes and operations of SEAMEO units • Sets agenda and issues for discussion in the SEAMEO Council Conference

41 st SEAMEO Council Conference Singapore, 22 -23 March 2006 • Elected H. E. Tharman Shanmugaratnam as President of the SEAMEO Council • Elected H. E. Bambang Sudibyo as Vice-President of the SEAMEO Council • Admitted Timor Leste as 11 th SEAMEO Member Country • Accepted Representation from the Kingdom of Spain

First ASEAN Ministers of Education (ASED) Meeting, 21 March 2006 Background: Retreat of Ministers of Education of ASEAN, Bangkok, 19 August 2005 Participants: • ASEAN Ministries of Education • ASEAN Secretariat • SEAMEO Secretariat

First ASEAN Ministers of Education (ASED) Meeting, 21 March 2006 • Confirmed Annual Conduct of ASEAN Education Ministers Meeting and Senior Education Officials Meeting. Back-to-Back with SEAMEO and HOM Meetings • Set Strategic Framework for Cooperation in Education • Established basis for engagement with ASEAN Dialogue Partners

First ASEAN Ministers of Education (ASED) Meeting: Building on Diversity • Strengthen ASEAN Studies through: • Research • Course Development • Production of learning materials • Promote People-to-People Contact • Teacher Exchange Programmes • Student Exchange Programmes

Asia Pacific Education Ministers’ Meeting, Brisbane, 3 -4 April 2006 • Convened by Hon. Julie Bishop, Minister of Education, Science and Training, Australia • Attended by 27 Ministers and Senior Officials from Turkey to Pacific Islands (6 SEAMEO Member Countries in attendance) • Accreditation as Observers for Minister of Education of Brazil and SEAMEO Secretariat Director

Brisbane Communiqué: Agreement on Collaboration Towards- • Development of Quality Assurance systems linked to international standards, covering courses delivered online • Recognition of educational and professional qualifications across countries • Common competency-based standards for teachers, particularly in science and mathematics; and • Promotion of vocational/technical skills across the region to support the region’s economic development

Brisbane Communiqué Points of Agreement • Supported the Australian proposal to make the forum a regular biennial event “to consider common education issues at ministerial level, throughout this extended region”. • The Meeting agreed to establish an Officials’ Working Group, to be convened by Australia, to prepare for the next meeting in 2008.

SEAMEO PRIORITY CONCERNS 1. Mother Tongue as Bridge Medium of Instruction 2. Special Education 3. Water and Sanitation Facilities in Schools

SEAMEO PRIORITY CONCERNS 4. Health and Nutrition 5. Raising Quality of Education 6. Upgrading Teacher Competencies

SEAMEO PRIORITY CONCERNS 7. Development of Leadership in Schools 8. Review of Secondary Education Cycle 9. Quality Assurance in Higher Education

SEAMEO PRIORITY CONCERNS 10. Intellectual Property Rights 11. Education for Sustainable Development 12. Education for Cultural Diversity and Peace

SEAMEO 1. Forum for Policy Deliberations 2. Mechanism for Piloting Alternative Responses to Regional HRD Issues 3. Vehicle for Launching Regional Initiatives 4. Platform for South-South Collaboration

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