SEAMEO-Australia Press Award 2004

The Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO) is proud to announce Ms Hariati Azizan as winner of the fifth annual SEAMEO-Australia Press Award.

After deliberation of thirty-eight submissions by seventeen journalists from six countries: Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Vietnam and Thailand, the jury selected Ms Hariati Azizan as the award winner.

Ms Azizan submitted an article entitled “Due for Makeover” which depicts how a lack of a single system for primary education has led to problems of racial polarization and a division of resources between the different systems. The article also presents a comprehensive discussion of the issues affecting these schools from both the educationist and parents’ perspectives. The merit of the article lies in its investigative effort and its vast impact towards the global issue of quality and equity in primary education.

Ms Azizan received a plague of recognition at the 27th SEAMEO High Officials Meeting on 2nd December 2004. The award also includes a round trip ticket to Melbourne for her internship with newspapers in Melbourne.

SEAMEO-Australia Press Award recognizes a journalist whose work has exhibited an exceptional contribution to the coverage of education in Southeast Asia.

The award is given out yearly with the Australian government as the co-sponsor of the award . Winners are selected on the basis of excellence in journalism as defined by impact, originality, investigative effort and a broader relevance to Southeast Asia.