Bangkok, Thailand: SEA-PLM Secretariat, co-chaired by United Nations Children’s Fund East Asia and Pacific Regional Office (UNICEF EAPRO) and Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO), officially launched the Southeast Asia Primary Learning Metrics (SEA-PLM) 2019 results during 1 and 2 December 2020.

On 1 December 2020, the official launch of SEA-PLM 2019 was organised at Carlton Hotel Bangkok Sukhumvit. Ms Karin Hulshof, UNICEF EAPRO Regional Director, and Dr Ethel Agnes Pascua-Valenzuela, SEAMEO Secretariat Director, emphasised the joint commitment in developing SEA-PLM as a mechanism to improve basic education systems to ensure all children develop foundational learning in Southeast Asia.

“The education systems must ensure that children develop foundational skills. The reliable data to monitor outcomes of that process, such as the one facilitated by SEAPLM, is key to ensuring that our education systems provide the best opportunities for children to learn and succeed academically and in life.” Ms Karin Hulshof, UNICEF EAPRO Regional Director

The event brought together Ministers, High Officials, and national representatives from SEA-PLM 2019 Core Member Countries; High Officials and national representatives from Honorary Member Countries; SEA-PLM Secretariat (SEAMEO and UNICEF EAPRO); SEA-PLM Technical Advisory Group; representatives of SEA-PLM National Teams; UNICEF Country Office; representatives from SEA-PLM participating countries; Ambassadors and/or representatives from the Embassy of SEA-PLM Core Member Countries in Bangkok; representatives from SEAMEO Centres; representatives from SEAMEO Associate Member Countries; representatives from SEAMEO Affiliate Members; partners; experts and media. Invited live-streaming audience from YouTube also witnessed the official launch of SEA-PLM 2019 results.

After the official launch of SEA-PLM 2019 results, key regional trends and policy implications from SEA-PLM 2019 results were presented by Mr Francisco Benavides, Regional Education Advisor, UNICEF EAPRO. The presentation focused on key elements of the new proficiency scales; children’s performance results in the three domains of reading, writing, mathematics, and their responses to the global citizenship module; as well as key regional trends and policy recommendations.

Ministers and representatives from SEA-PLM participating countries provided a ministerial message on SEA-PLM 2019 National Results and Policy Responses.

HE Dr Hang Chuon Naron
Minister of Education, Youth and Sport, Cambodia

HE Madame Sengdeuane Lachanthaboun
Minister of Education and Sports, Lao PDR

Dr Habibah Abdul Rahim
Director General, Ministry of Education, Malaysia

HE Dr Myo Thein Gyi
Union Minister for Education, Myanmar

HE Dr Leonor Magtolis Briones
Secretary of Education, Philippines

HE Dr Nguyen Van Phuc
Deputy Minister of Education and Training, Vietnam

Experts and partners were invited to provide a message on key implications of results on policies, practices and research.

Dr Sylvia Montoya
Director, UNESCO Institute for Statistics

Mr Jaime Saavedra
Global Director for Education, World Bank

Mr Shigeru Aoyagi
Director, UNESCO Asia and Pacific Regional Bureau for Education

Participants were also informed about SEA-PLM 2019 products and next round of SEA-PLM assessment by Mr Antoine Marivin, SEA-PLM Programme Manager, UNICEF EAPRO. Following the launch of the SEA-PLM 2019 Main Regional Report: Children’s learning in 6 Southeast Asian countries, published by SEA-PLM Secretariat in December 2020, more activities to engage in policy discussion among experts on implications of SEA-PLM 2019 results and research collaboration will be accomplished in 2021. The second round of SEA-PLM assessment is planned to be implemented in 2023.

Watch the full event on 1 December 2020 below:

On 2 December 2020, representatives from SEA-PLM participating countries and experts were invited to participate in the policy discussion on SEA-PLM 2019 results. The policy discussion started with the presentation of Ms Jeaniene Spink, Research Director, Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER), presented on SEA-PLM 2019 Results in Focus: Quality Learning and Equity Outcomes.

Following the presentation, representatives from SEA-PLM participating countries provided round table comments and reflections to turn the results into actions at the national level.

Mr Ung Chinna
Director of Education Quality Assurance Department, Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport, Cambodia

Mr Kadam Vongdeuane
Director of Center for Educational Research and Evaluation, Ministry of Education and Sports, Lao PDR

Dr Haji Azhar Haji Ahmad
Director of Educational Planning and Research Division, Ministry of Education, Malaysia

Mr Aung Htike
Deputy Director General of Department of Myanmar Examinations, Ministry of Education, Myanmar

Dr Diosdado M. San Antonio
Undersecretary for Curriculum and Instruction, Department of Education, Philippines

Dr My Ha Le Thi
Director of Center for Educational Quality Evaluation, Ministry of Education and Training, Vietnam

The event concluded with the insights from partners on SEA-PLM 2019 results and learning assessment and the closing remarks by Mr Marcoluigi Corsi, Deputy Regional Director, UNICEF EAPRO.

Dr Sang-Jin Ban
President, Korean Educational Development Institute

Ms Kyungsuk Chang
Head of International Cooperation Division,Korea Institute for Curriculum and Evaluation

Ms Ramya Vivekanandan
Senior Education Specialist, Global Partnership for Education

Mr Marcoluigi Corsi
Deputy Regional Director, UNICEF EAPRO

Watch the full event on 2 December 2020 below:

Please visit the official website of SEA-PLM for more information related to SEA-PLM at www.seaplm.org.

Click here to download the Press Release.

Click here to download the SEA-PLM 2019 Main Regional Report: Children’s learning in 6 Southeast Asian countries.