Fourteen experts on Information and Communications Technology (ICT) from the ministries of education of Southeast Asian countries attended the Regional Workshop on Integrating ICT in Education in SEAMEO Member Countries on 2-3 June 2009 at the SEAMEO Secretariat Office in Bangkok, Thailand.

In collaboration with the SEAMEO Regional Centre for Vocational and Technical Education and Training (SEAMEO VOCTECH), the SEAMEO Secretariat organized the two-day activity that aimed primarily to gather information on the policies and case studies in the integration of ICT in education in the SEAMEO Member Countries.  The regional workshop included presentations by ministry experts, discussions on issues related to the use of ICT in teaching and learning, and mapping the status of ICT integration in Southeast Asia.

As part of their professional development programme, a group of 25 teachers and personnel from Malacca High School, Malaysia visited the SEAMEO Secretariat on 2 June 2009. The Secretariat helped coordinate a visit to Mahidol Wittayanusorn Secondary school and accompanied the group to the school on 3 June 2009.

Representatives from the SEAMEO units recently gathered for a workshop, from 12 to 14 May 2009, co-organized by the SEAMEO Secretariat and SEAMEO BIOTROP. The workshop, held at the premises of SEAMEO BIOTROP in Bogor, Indonesia focused on strengthening as well as strategizing inter-centre collaboration. In addition, the workshop also concentrated on developing preliminary future measures in enhancing and sustaining collaboration among SEAMEO units.

44th SEAMEO Council Conference endorses landmark resolutions to further strengthen cooperation in education

The Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO) Council made significant decisions that did not only mark a milestone in its history, but also guaranteed stronger cooperation in education to truly provide Education for All in the region during its 44th Annual Conference hosted by Thailand on 5-8 April 2009 at the Sheraton Grande Laguna Hotel, Phuket, Thailand.

The recently held 44th SEAMEO Council Conference in Phuket, Thailand saw a transition of presidency of the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO) Council to Mr Jurin Laksanawisit, Minister of Education of Thailand.

Mr Jurin Laksanawisit is also the Deputy Leader of the Democrat Party in Thailand and is equipped with more than 23 years of experience through his political career. 

Minister of Education of Malaysia, Dato' Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein was the SEAMEO Council President from 13 March 2008 to 6 April 2009. His leadership witnessed outstanding accomplishments particularly in the promotion of SEAMEO activities throughout Southeast Asia and beyond.

As President of the SEAMEO Council, he outlined four courses of action for SEAMEO, namely: 1) the need to link-up and collaborate with other international organization partners; 2) programme strengthening and matching with regional needs; 3) conduct of evaluation studies and benchmarking; and 4) empowerment of the SEAMEO Centres in the region.

SEAMEO bestows awards and recognitions at the 44th SEAMEO Council Conference - Research Award, Press Award and Service Award

In recognition of outstanding achievements, the SEAMEO Secretariat conferred the SEAMEO-Australia Press Award, the SEAMEO Jasper Research Award, and the SEAMEO Service Award to the respective recipients in a formal ceremony on the occasion of the 44th SEAMEO Council Conference on 6 April 2009 at the Sheraton Grande Laguna Hotel, Phuket, Thailand.

At the Awarding Ceremony, Mr Jean-Vianney Auclair, Assistant Deputy Minister, Manitoba Education, Citizenship and Youth; and Ms Anne Reynolds, Counsellor (Education), Australian Education International, Australian Embassy, Bangkok, Thailand remarked on the success of the completed cycles of the SEAMEO Jasper Research Award; and the SEAMEO-Australia Press Award, respectively.

Inspired by the directive of the Education Ministers during the 43rd SEAMEO Council Conference in March 2008, senior education officials and representatives from the SEAMEO Member Countries shared and discussed various exemplars of using the mother tongue as bridge language of instruction in teaching and learning during the Regional Meeting on the Dissemination of Project Results and Identification of Good Functioning Models in the Use of Mother Tongue in Instruction on 24-26 February 2009 in Bangkok, Thailand.

The three-day meeting of the SEAMEO high officials on 19-21 January 2009 in Bangkok concluded in an atmosphere of cooperation after its endorsement of important collaborative initiatives such as the 10 proposed projects to reach the unreached, follow-up activities on the use of mother tongue in instruction, the phase 2 proposal on water sanitation and hygiene education, community involvement and capacity building.