BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

THE Minister of Education Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Kerna Dato Seri Setia (Dr) Hj Awang Abu Bakar Hj Apong concluded his visit at Chonburi, Thailand on Thursday for the 48th Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organisation Council (SEAMEO) Conference.

The SEAMEO Council Conference is a biennial meeting of Ministers of Education in Southeast Asia, where the council determines the general policies and strategic directions of the organisation.

The conference with the theme “SEAMEO in the Next Decade”, in conjunction with the 50th anniversary of SEAMEO’s establishment in 1965, is focused on the adopted joint statement on Education Agenda for Southeast Asia for 2015 until 2035.

The three-day meeting of the 11-member countries also focused on the seven priority areas for the next decade such as: early childhood care and education, promoting technical and vocational education and training.

Addressing barriers to inclusion, resiliency in the face of emergencies, teacher education, harmonization of higher education and research, and adopting a 21st century curriculum were also highlighted during the meeting.

An additional feature of the conference is the policy forum themed “Digital Learning for Creating Future Global Citizens”, in which Pehin Dato (Dr) Hj Awg Abu Bakar highlighted the Sultanate’s holistic framework to develop the 21st century skills that focuses on the teachers’ roles as designers of learning experiences.

The minister emphasised that the teachers’ ability was the key in a powerful learning experience rather than the technology’s availability.

Pehin Dato (Dr) Hj Awg Abu Bakar also stressed the importance of the teachers’ professional development and their innovation that could produce learning outcomes.

During the conference, Prof Dr Pham Vu Luan, Minister of Education and Training of Vietnam handed over the chairmanship of the conference to the Minister of Education of Thailand, Admiral Narong Pipatanasai, to lead the conferences until 2017 in Indonesia.

Accompanying the minister was the Permanent Secretary of Core Education, Dr Hj Junaidi Hj Abd Rahman.

The Brunei Times