“Reaching the Unreached in Educationand Achieving the EFA Goals Together by 2015”

The Southeast Asian Model of Collaboration

By Dato’ Dr Ahamad bin SiponDirector, SEAMEO Secretariat

The Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO)

The Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO)

• a chartered international organization

• established in 1965

• promotes cooperation in education, science and culture in Southeast Asia

– establishes network and partnerships– provides intellectual forums for policy makers and experts– promotes sustainable human resource development– develops and nurtures the capacities of teachers and school managers

in Southeast Asia through 15 SEAMEO specialist institutions

Brunei Darussalam (1984) Cambodia (1971)Indonesia (1965)Lao PDR (1965)Malaysia (1965)Myanmar (1998)Philippines (1965)Singapore (1965)Thailand (1965) Timor-Leste (2006)Vietnam (1992)

SEAMEO Member Countries

SEAMEO Associate Members

Australia (1973)Canada (1988)France (1973)Germany (1990)Netherlands (1993)New Zealand (1974)Norway (2005)Spain (2007)

SEAMEO Affiliate MembersInternational Council for Open and Distance Education (1999)University of Tsukuba (2009)

SEAMEO Regional Centres

tropical biology, history and tradition, educational

innovation and technology, science and mathematics, language, higher education and development, open learning,

graduate study and research in agriculture, archaeology and fine arts,

tropical medicine and public health, vocational and technical education and training

“Reaching the Unreached in Educationand Achieving the EFA Goals Together by 2015”

The Southeast Asian Model of Collaboration

Background1. UNESCO’s presentation at the 44th SEAMEO Council

Conference and 3rd ASEAN Education Ministers Meeting in March 2008 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

• major findings of the 2008 EFA Mid-Decade Assessment

• emphasis on the situation in the SEAMEO Member Countries

• suggested the need to bridge the gaps within SEAMEO Member Countries – for those difficult to reach or unreached children, indigenous and ethnic minority peoples, and for those with special needs

Background

2. Directive of the Southeast Asian Education Ministers (Joint Statement of the 3rd ASEAN Education Ministers Meeting)

‘On future cooperation in education, the Ministers agreed that the focus should be on implementing EFA by 2015.  In this regard, the Ministers tasked the SEAMEO and the ASEAN Secretariats to organise a workshop on the theme of ‘reaching the unreached’ to share best practices among ASEAN Member States.’

REACHING THE UNREACHED: Meeting of Southeast Asian Countries to Achieve

the Education for All (EFA) Goals Together by 2015

2 – 4 September 2008Imperial Queen’s Park Hotel, Bangkok, Thailand

Objectives:1. to take stock of the extent of initiatives/ projects/

programmes provided for the unreached in Southeast Asia

2. to identify remaining common challenges in attaining EFA goals, particularly for the unreached groups in Southeast Asia

3. to provide suggestions to accelerate progress towards reaching the unreached

4. to develop activities/projects that Southeast Asian countries can work together on with the help of EFA partners.

41 officials from SEAMEO Member Countries; 13 EFA partners/INGOs; 21 representatives from ASEAN, UNESCO and SEAMEO

Activities:

1. Reviewed existing initiatives on reaching the unreached and determined remaining challenges and priorities

2. Shared best practices (both countries and EFA partners)

3. Identified strategies and activities to address the needs of the prioritized groups

4. Drafted collaborative project proposals for the different target groups

Outputs and Outcomes:

1. Increased awareness on the different unreached and underserved population groups in the region

2. Greater appreciation of the need for regional cooperation to attain the EFA goals

3. 10 collaborative project proposals to reach various unreached groups

Project 1 - Transition support for learners with disabilities

Target Groups: Learners with disabilities or with special educational needs

Lead Country: Malaysia

Participating Countries: Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Philippines, Timor-Leste, Vietnam

EFA Partners: Disability Action Council, Cambodia, UNESCO UIS-AIMS

Components/Activities: Policy formulation, data collection, exchange programme/training, establish a regional centre

Project 2 - Tracking system for students at risk of dropping out

Target Groups: Underperforming students, students at risk of dropping out

Lead Country: Philippines

Participating Countries: Thailand, Myanmar, Lao PDR, Malaysia Singapore

EFA Partners: UNICEF, Disability Action Council, UNESCO UIS-AIMS, ASPBAE

Components/Activities: Inventory of existing researches, identify student tracking and profiling system, workshop to develop framework, system development, toolkit development, capacity building

Project 3 - Conference to promote awareness of education for girls and women

Target Groups: Girls and women in rural areas and ethnic minorities

Lead Country: Malaysia

Participating Countries: Cambodia, Lao PDR, Indonesia, Philippines, Timor-Leste (To be invited: Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Brunei Darussalam, Myanmar)

EFA Partners: UNIFEM, UNICEF, ASPBAE, SIL International, WFP, UNGEI, UNESCO GENIA Network

Components/Activities: Sharing of best practices in budget-based gender, school supplementary food programmes, gender responsive projects, basic education for girls

Project 4 – Tracking mechanism for unreached populations

Target Groups: Learners from remote and rural communities; children who are not registered in schools

Lead Country: To be advised

Participating Countries: Malaysia (To be invited: Other Southeast Asian countries)

EFA Partners: ASPBAE, UNESCO UIS-AIMS

Components/Activities: Research, exchange visits, capacity building

Project 5 - Pre-school programme for all

Target Groups: Children from poor families

Lead Country: Brunei Darussalam

Participating Countries: Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand (To be invited: Other Southeast Asian countries)

EFA Partners: UNICEF, Save the Children, ARNEC, UNESCO, Plan International

Components/Activities: Study visits, capacity building, development of regional school readiness competencies, provision of technical assistance to member countries in enriching national standards and curriculum, establishment of pre-schools in remote areas, provision of support services such as feeding, M&E

Project 6 - Multigrade Teaching

Target Groups: Learners from remote, dispersed and isolated areas

Lead Country: Lao PDR

Participating Countries: Cambodia, Timor-Leste, Thailand, Malaysia

EFA Partners: UNICEF, ASPBAE, UNESCO Hanoi

Components/Activities: Development of guidelines for training of multi-grade teachers, capacity building, M&E

Project 7 - Development of more community-based learning centres in rural areas in Southeast Asia

for Literacy and Livelihood

Target Groups: Children, youth and adults from poor families in rural/ remote/isolated areas

Lead Country: Thailand

Participating Countries: All Southeast Asian countries will be invited.

EFA Partners: ATD Fourth World, Save the Children, UNESCO UIS-AIMS, UNESCO APPEAL, UNICEF, UNCHR, ASPBAE, ILO, Education Development Center, Inc.

Components/Activities: Inter-Ministerial coordination, assessment and work planning, establishment of centres, capacity building, entrepreneurship, M&E

Project 8 - Inter-country schooling programme for stateless and undocumented children

(coordination between governments)

Target Groups: Stateless/non-documented children in the states’ borders

Lead Country: Indonesia

Participating Countries: Cambodia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Thailand, Timor Leste, Vietnam

EFA Partners: UNICEF, UNCHR, INEE, Save the Children

Components/Activities: Setting-up of special border schools

Project 9 - Project on HIV and AIDS using an integrated approach

(providing education, care, treatment and counseling services to

learners affected or infected by HIV and AIDS)

Target Groups: Children, youth and adults infected and affected by HIV and/or AIDS

Lead Country: To be advised

Participating Countries: Myanmar (To be invited: Other Southeast Asian countries)

EFA Partners: UNAIDS, UNICEF, WAF (Myanmar), AIDS Council (Malaysia), Youth Union (Lao PDR), Education Development Center, Inc.

Components/Activities: Data collection, care and treatment, curriculum strengthening, capacity building, M&E

Project 10 - Education in emergencies and disaster preparedness

Target Groups: Children in difficult circumstances

Lead Countries: Indonesia and Philippines

Participating Countries: Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Timor-Leste

EFA Partners: UNICEF, E-Net Philippines, Save the Children, ASPBAE

Components/Activities: Provision of kits and guidelines, teachers and community involvement, refurbishment of structures, advocacy

1. At present, 8 projects have lead countries.

2. Projects without a lead country:

Project on HIV and AIDS

Project on Tracking mechanism for unreached populations

3. The roles of a lead country:

Initiate the needed work on the proposal

Suggest and seek funding

Establish mechanisms on project development, implementation and management

Work with the SEAMEO Secretariat and ASEAN Secretariat in the full development of the projects and their implementation

SEAMEO Process

1. Presented the 10 collaborative project proposals to the SEAMEO High Officials for review, comments, input and endorsement to the SEAMEO Council during the 31st SEAMEO High Officials Meeting on 19-21 January 2009 in Bangkok, Thailand

2. Presented the proposals (including input of SEAMEO High Officials) to the SEAMEO Council for approval during the 44th SEAMEO Council Conference on 6-8 April 2009 in Phuket, Thailand

SEAMEO Council Resolution

The 44th SEAMEO Council Conference:

• took note of the Meeting Report

• approved the 10 proposed collaborative projects

• approved the proposed lead countries, participating countries and participating non-governmental organizations in each project

• directed the SEAMEO Secretariat, ASEAN Secretariat and lead countries to start the full development of the projects and other subsequent actions.

• It was agreed upon that discussion on the details of the funding sources, mechanism for implementation, coordination and roles of stakeholders would be tabled in the 32nd SEAMEO High Officials Meeting.

Bangkok Post 30

Sept 2008

Bangkok Post2 Sept 2008

EFA is a global commitment to provide quality basic education for all.

The challenge to achieve EFA Goals in Southeast Asia by 2015 is to reach the unreached population groups in the region.

By working together, there is a greater chance to address the remaining challenges.

Conclusion

Thank you.

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