(Virtual) 16 June 2022 – The Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO) Secretariat, organised the Workshop: National Policies on Lifelong Learning toward Sustainability in Southeast Asia as part of the Seventh International Conference on Adult Education (CONFINTEA VII) convened by the UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning (UIL) in Morocco from 15 to 17 June 2022. CONFINTEA is a UNESCO intergovernmental conference for policy dialogue on adult learning and education (ALE) and related research and advocacy, which has taken place every 12 to 13 years since the late 1940s.

Under the topic “The role of adult learning and education (ALE) in realizing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development: ALE policy in support of sustainable development”, the mentioned workshop aims to take stock of what have been achieved and how best practices can be leveraged through regional cooperation to better tackle the challenges and strengthen a joint lifelong learning process for the sustainability of human capital.

The virtual workshop featured 8 honourable panellists at ministerial level from the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Higher Education of SEAMEO Member Countries including Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, Timor-Leste and Vietnam, as well as 2 distinguished speakers who are directors of the UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning in Germany and UNESCO Asia-Pacific Regional Bureau for Education in Thailand.

The workshop was attended by participants from SEAMEO Member Countries, SEAMEO Regional Centres, SEAMEO School Network, as well as policy makers and experts invited by CONFINTEA VII team including Ministers responsible for adult learning and education in UNESCO Member States, Associate Members and Non-Member States, representatives of international organisations, non-governmental organisations, private sector, youth, education researchers and practitioners.

The workshop provided participants with a collection of innovative approaches, action plans, policies and initiatives on lifelong learning adopted by different Southeast Asian countries in successfully overcoming the specific challenges during the pandemic, which could be utilised as best practices at regional and national contexts.

As a result of the valuable insights and policy messages shared by honourable Ministers and Deputy Ministers, the SEAMEO Secretariat has put forward recommendations on the promotion of lifelong learning with 4 key actions: 1) Recognising that people are at the core of lifelong learning, 2) Understanding learners to develop relevant and learner-centred lifelong learning policies, 3) Reimagining and transforming lifelong learning practices, 4) Fostering and strengthening partnerships on lifelong learning.

The workshop has highlighted the commitment of SEAMEO Member countries to strengthening policies and international co-operation, in order to realise the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and to shape adult learning and education in ensuring lifelong learning for all.

More information:
https://www.seameo.org/Main_events/351

To view the session by YouTube:  
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XmeipKazAs0