Permanent Secretary (Core Education) at the Ministry of Education Dr Shamsiah Zuraini Kanchanawati binti Haji Tajuddin attended the 45th Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organisation High Officials Meeting (45th SEAMEO HOM) in Bangkok, Thailand, held from November 28 to 30.
The meeting was officiated by Thailand’s Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education Dr Atthaphon Sangkhawasee, on behalf of the country’s Minister of Education Treenuch Thienthong.
In his opening speech, he commended SEAMEO on carrying out its activities under the seven SEAMEO priority areas and activities addressing the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals.
He also added that Thailand’s Ministry of Education places great emphasis on 21st Century skills and ethical values, and will continue to ensure that no one will be left behind.
This years’ Plenary Session was chaired by Atty Gerard L Chan, Undersecretary, Legislative Affairs and Partnerships, Department of Education of the Philippines, while Dr Shamsiah Zuraini Kanchanawati was appointed as the Vice-Chair.
The meeting began with an In-Camera Session and followed by a Plenary Session.
Matters under discussion included reports on financial matters of the SEAMEO Secretariat and proposed Five-Year Development Plans of a number of SEAMEO Regional Centres, as well as proposals and reports of projects/programmes under SEAMEO where decisions were made to endorse several proposals to be presented at the next SEAMEO Council Conference.
Each SEAMEO member country also shared their progress and development in addressing the ‘SEAMEO Seven Priority Areas Implementation’ in their countries on early childhood care and education, addressing barriers to inclusion, resiliency in the face of emergencies, promoting technical and vocational education and training, teacher education, harmonisation in higher education and research, and adopting a 21st Century curriculum.
Dr Shamsiah Zuraini Kanchanawati highlighted a number of initiatives implemented in the Sultanate to ensure equal and equitable access to education for students to achieve their fullest potential, including the establishment of the learning support team and learning recovery team as well as the launch of the Brunei Darussalam Learning Support Guidebook.
The SEAMEO HOM meeting was attended by heads of delegation from SEAMEO member countries, and Centre Directors from the 26 SEAMEO Centres and Network.
Officials from the Brunei’s Ministry of Education were also in attendance.
