As a multilateral organisation operating across 11 countries through 26 Regional Centres and Networks, SEAMEO’s mission is ambitious and far-reaching. With such an extensive mandate, how can SEAMEO ensure its efforts to improve education in Southeast Asia are truly effective and accountable?

At the heart of SEAMEO’s mission is the commitment to improving access to quality education and lifelong learning for all, accelerating the use of science and technology to address pressing social, health, and environmental challenges, and fostering intercultural understanding and global citizenship. To achieve these goals, SEAMEO generates evidence to inform policymaking, implements projects, creates platforms for regional collaboration, and builds partnerships with national, regional, and international stakeholders. Additionally, SEAMEO provides capacity building to ministries, institutions, and organisations across the region.

However, with increasing activities and a complex landscape of stakeholders, SEAMEO recognises the need to reinforce its organisational monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) processes. This commitment ensures that its programmes remain accountable, transparent, and continuously improving. By establishing a robust MEL strategy, SEAMEO aims to track the effectiveness of its initiatives, assess their impact, and ensure sustainable progress toward its objectives.

SEAMEO’s new MEL strategy focuses on three key areas: policy development, regional collaboration, and capacity building for practitioners. To measure its effectiveness, SEAMEO collects both quantitative and qualitative data, tracking the number of events, participants, and projects, as well as the policies influenced, knowledge shared, and training effectiveness. These evaluations provide SEAMEO with critical insights into the outcomes of its work and the impact of its 26 Regional Centres and Networks.

Over the past year, SEAMEO has made significant strides in developing a unified MEL framework. Through strategic workshops with SEAMEO unit leadership, the organisation developed an organisational results framework and a standardised monitoring mechanism, including gender-sensitive indicators. To ensure these tools are practical and efficient across diverse contexts, SEAMEO has launched pilots in seven SEAMEO units, refining its approach to MEL. These units have received training on MEL practices, taking steps toward streamlining learning processes and embedding accountability throughout the organisation.

This investment in SEAMEO’s future will yield substantial dividends. A comprehensive MEL strategy will provide a clear roadmap to measure the tangible impact of SEAMEO’s programmes, facilitate data-driven decision-making, and enhance stakeholder confidence. By demonstrating the value and effectiveness of its interventions, SEAMEO will strengthen its leadership position in education, science, and culture across Southeast Asia.

Looking ahead, SEAMEO is preparing for full organisation-wide adoption of the MEL strategy by March 2025. The goal is to create a dynamic feedback loop where data-driven insights directly inform strategic decision-making and resource allocation. This approach will enable SEAMEO to deliver high-impact programmes that address the region’s most pressing educational and social challenges, ensuring that it remains a leader in shaping the future of education, science, and culture in Southeast Asia.

SEAMEO’s efforts to strengthen its MEL practices are supported by UK International Development through the ASEAN-UK Supporting the Advancement of Girls’ Education Programme, further exemplifying the organisation’s commitment to impactful and sustainable change.