With over 1,300 living languages, Southeast Asia is one of the most linguistically diverse regions in the world. This diversity is not just a cultural treasure but a crucial factor in shaping educational strategies that enhance learning outcomes for all children.

Research from the Southeast Asia Primary Learning Metrics (SEA-PLM) 2019 underscores the impact of language on student performance, revealing that children who speak the language of assessment at home consistently outperform their peers who speak a different language. This disparity highlights the urgent need for effective mother tongue-based multilingual education (MTB-MLE) strategies to bridge the learning gap and foster educational equity.

This critical role of language in foundational learning was emphasised by Datuk Dr Habibah Abdul Rahim, Director of the SEAMEO Secretariat, in the High-Level Roundtable Discussion during the celebration of International Mother Language Day 2025 at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris from 20-21 February 2025.

SEAMEO has been at the forefront of multilingual education advocacy, establishing the SEAMEO QITEP in Language in Indonesia to spearhead MTB-MLE initiatives. Collaborating with UNESCO Bangkok and the Asia Pacific Working Group on Multilingual Education, SEAMEO has developed the Southeast Asia Roadmap on MTB-MLE – the first regional roadmap of its kind in the world.

This roadmap serves as a guiding framework to provide a regional mechanism for SEAMEO member countries to implement and monitor MTB-MLE programmes. It adopts a flexible, track-based approach, allowing countries to tailor their strategies according to their unique linguistic and educational landscapes, including:

• Access – Expanding multilingual education opportunities, especially for marginalised communities in rural and indigenous areas.
• Learning – Developing culturally relevant curricula and learning materials to enhance comprehension and retention.
• Teachers – Training and equipping educators with the necessary skills and resources to effectively implement MTB-MLE programs.
• Policies – Advocating for strong national frameworks that integrate multilingual education into long-term educational planning.
• Data – Establishing robust monitoring and evaluation systems to track progress and make evidence-based improvements.
• Community – Fostering partnerships with families and local organisations to enhance engagement and support for MTB-MLE.
  

This structured yet adaptable approach ensures that multilingual education is not a one-size-fits-all model but a responsive system that aligns with each country’s needs and capacities. Countries can begin by prioritising a specific track, such as expanding access for marginalised groups, gradually integrating other components as resources and expertise grow.

For MTB-MLE to be sustainable, national and regional policy support is essential. Governments must integrate inclusive education policies into their national frameworks to ensure long-term commitment and funding. Additionally, robust monitoring and evaluation systems will enable continuous improvements and scalability, reinforcing the roadmap’s effectiveness.

By working together and leveraging the power of language to promote learning and reinforce local culture, Southeast Asia can build a brighter future, one where every child has the opportunity to learn, grow, and thrive in an education system that embraces and celebrates linguistic diversity.