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Workshop Overview and Objectives

The three-day regional planning workshop aims to

  1. Re-acquaint high officials/senior officers responsible for the management of school facilities, materials development and/or curriculum in the SEAMEO-Member Countries with the concept, aims and strategies adopted by SEAMEO and UN-HABITAT in promoting VBWSE in Southeast Asian schools
  1. Take stock of existing policies, guidelines and practices relating to VBWSE in the primary and secondary curricula and the evaluation of water and sanitation facilities in schools; and
  1. Map out modalities of collaboration in implementing the succeeding project activities

The three-day workshop is expected to yield the following outputs:

  • Draft survey instrument for evaluating water and sanitation in schools;
  • Draft roll-out plan for field testing/validating the survey instrument (including the reporting and packaging of the data to be generated)
  • Common framework for the curriculum materials to be developed
  • List of learning strands and subject areas/topics to be covered in the curriculum materials

The three-day activity will consist of plenary presentations that will cover:

  • Overview of the SEAMEO – UN-HABITAT project
  • The concept and operationalization of Values-Based Water and Sanitation Education
  • Presentation of country experiences and practices

Two workshop groups will be organized running along the two main tracks of the project; one deals with the development of the survey instrument for evaluating water and sanitation facilities in schools. The other will explore the means for integrating VBWSE lessons in the primary and secondary level curricula and plan the development of curriculum materials on VBWSE.

Workshop Group A

The activity shall aim at:

  1. Re-acquaint high officials/policy makers in the SEAMEO-Member Countries with the concept, aims and strategies adopted by SEAMEO and UN-HABITAT in promoting VBWSE in Southeast Asian schools
  2. Take stock of existing guidelines, protocols and management tools relating to water and sanitation in schools;
  3. Develop an initial draft of the survey instrument; and
  4. Elaborate a plan for field testing/validation of the proposed survey instrument for generating data on school water and sanitation facilities.

The activity builds on the gains made during the 39th SEAMEO Council Conference in Brunei Darussalam in March 2004 wherein the Ministers of Education adopted the SEAMEO Declaration on VBWSE. The guidelines/protocols adopted by the country in evaluating water and sanitation facilities will also be part of the discussions. The elements of the survey will also serve as inputs for the development of a VBWSE checklist for ADB programme officers.

Workshop Group B

Curriculum and teacher training experts in the MOEs will be identified and tasked to do a review of the (1) VBWSE materials developed in Africa, (2) VBWSE-related materials currently used in Southeast Asia. The review should enable the team to identify key learning strands in the basic education curricula where VBWSE lessons can be integrated.

The workshop shall aim at:

  1. Develop a common understanding of the structures and key features of the curricula in the SEA countries
  2. Develop a common framework/format for the curriculum materials to be developed
  3. Identify and select learning strands and subject areas for which curriculum materials would be developed

 

The outputs of the Workshop Groups will be presented and discussed in plenary; the workshop recommendations will further be presented in the discussion forum at the 28th SEAMEO HOM.

School Visits. Visits to two schools will be organized to enable the participants to appreciate the current situation in local schools. Arrangements will be made for a briefing by the headmasters and local school officials on the issues covered in the workshop.

Programme Participants

Two (2) participants representing each SEAMEO Member Country will be invited. The participants should represent the units/agencies of the Ministry which are responsible for (1) management of school facilities, water and sanitation and school health and (2) curriculum development, materials development/review and in-service teacher training. Should other agencies (such as the Ministry of Water, Health, Sanitation or the local water utilities authorities), be responsible for the provision and upkeep of water and sanitation facilities in schools the Ministry of Education’s advice on the best possible participant would be sought.

The invited workshop participants will be expected to serve as the focal points at the Ministry/Department of Education on future project actions.

Representatives of SEAMEO regional centres, especially those taking the lead in implementing some of the project components will also be invited.

Country Report Outline

Context Setting

    • National legal and policy framework
    • Structure, roles and functions of the education ministry and its operational agencies; focus on:
      • Curriculum and instruction
      • In-service teacher training
      • Materials development and review
      • School management and maintenance
    • Inter-ministry/inter-agency cooperation and collaboration
  • Case Presentation (An exemplary practice, project or innovation introduced relating to curriculum, water/environment issues, health/sanitation issues, etc.)
    • Background and Overview
      • Rationale and issues addressed
      • Project scope/locale
      • Project objectives
      • Resources/source of support
    • Key interventions
      • Project components/activities
      • Implementation strategy
      • Project inputs and processes
      • Evaluation/assessment mechanisms

Results and significant learnings / implications