The year 2024 was marked by significant achievements, from successful data collection in participating countries to highlevel regional engagements that shaped the future of the programme in enhancing education quality across the region. With support from the ASEAN Secretariat, the ASEAN-Korea Cooperation Fund (AKCF), the UK government under the ASEAN-UK SAGE programme, key regional partners, and the collaborative efforts of participating countries, SEA-PLM continues to demonstrate its commitment to improving foundational learning through regionally comparable data and learning assessment evidence.

One of this year's highlights was the successful implementation of the SEA-PLM 2024 main survey. This initiative gathered robust data on student learning outcomes, starting with the first batch of countries—Lao PDR, the Philippines, and Viet Nam—followed by the second batch, which included Cambodia, Malaysia, Myanmar, and Timor-Leste. This effort reflects SEAPLM’s commitment to generating comparable data and indicators and monitoring foundational learning outcomes through strong collaboration with national teams across the participating countries.

At the governance level, the programme convened the 14th SEA-PLM Regional Steering Committee Meeting. This high-level meeting brought together senior officials and key representatives from SEAMEO Member Countries to review progress, share programme insights, and strengthen dialogue in order to collectively achieve SEA-PLM’s mission for all children in the region. The regional meeting was followed by the High-Level Regional Conference on Foundational Learning, which culminated in a presentation of regional priorities for action on foundational learning, in line with strategies outlined during SEAMEO’s 6th Strategic Dialogue for Education Ministers in February 2023.

Looking ahead, the regional discourse on foundational learning is expected to be enriched with the anticipated launch of the SEA-PLM 2024 results in 2025.

H E Hang Chuon Naron, Minister of Education, Youth and Sport of Cambodia, poses with delegates from the seven SEA-PLM participating countries—Cambodia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Viet Nam, and Timor-Leste—alongside H E Amb Lee Jang-keun, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to ASEAN; Datuk Dr Habibah Abdul Rahim, SEAMEO Secretariat Director; and Ms Mitsue Uemura, Regional Education Adviser at UNICEF.

To advance its mission of improving foundational learning in the region, SEA-PLM launched the Technical Experts Network (TEN) in Bangkok, Thailand. This inaugural meeting convened regional and international experts from academic institutions, focusing on leveraging SEA-PLM’s extensive data to drive transformative changes in foundational learning.

Representatives from esteemed institutions, including Nanyang Technological University, Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris Malaysia, the Curriculum Development Division of the Ministry of Education Malaysia, University of the Philippines – Diliman, Philippine Normal University, SEAMEO Regional Centre for QITEP in Mathematics, SEAMEO CECCEP, Taylor’s University Lakeside Campus Malaysia, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, and the National University of Singapore, were among the attendees.

Experts gather at the SEA-PLM Technical Experts Network Meeting to share insights and provide strategic guidance, enhancing the programme's efforts to improve education systems and learning outcomes across Southeast Asia.

Experts gather at the SEA-PLM Technical Experts Network Meeting to share insights and provide strategic guidance, enhancing the programme's efforts to improve education systems and learning outcomes across Southeast Asia.

Building on this momentum, the SEA-PLM Regional Secretariat, co-chaired by the SEAMEO Secretariat and UNICEF East Asia and Pacific Regional Office (EAPRO), convened an Extraordinary Session: Regional Consultation on 23 -24 October 2024 in Bangkok. The session brought together representatives from participating countries, the ASEAN Secretariat, and the ASEANKorea Cooperation Fund (AKCF) to reflect on the programme’s achievements and chart the roadmap for SEA-PLM post-2024.

Key discussions focused on national strategies for resource mobilisation, partner engagement, and policy-oriented actions to leverage survey findings for strengthening education systems across the region.

Representatives from the ASEAN-Korea Cooperation Fund, ASEAN Secretariat, and Ministries of Education from participating countries joined the dialogue to reflect on the programme’s achievements and discuss its progress.

What’s Next for SEA-PLM?

Continuing the momentum of 2024, SEA-PLM is set to host a follow-up regional event on foundational learning in 2025. Building upon the insights and key recommendations shared during the Extraordinary Session: Regional Consultation on the SEA-PLM programme, participating countries are encouraged to sustain progress and translate regional agreements into actionable national plans.

In early 2025, the SEA-PLM Regional Secretariat, in collaboration with key partners, will organise a series of country-level workshops. These workshops will serve as platforms for deeper collaboration, enabling countries to transform SEA-PLM data, findings, and methodologies into practical strategies and actions to improve educational outcomes for all children.