The Southeast Asian Model of Collaboration “Reaching the Unreached in Education and Achieving the EFA Goals Together by 2015” The Southeast Asian Model of Collaboration By Dato’ Dr Ahamad bin Sipon Director, 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

SEAMEO Member Countries 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 Associate Members Australia (1973) Canada (1988) France (1973) Germany (1990) Netherlands (1993) New Zealand (1974) Norway (2005) Spain (2007) SEAMEO Affiliate Members International Council for Open and Distance Education (1999) Tsukuba University (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

The Southeast Asian Model of Collaboration “Reaching the Unreached in Education and Achieving the EFA Goals Together by 2015” The Southeast Asian Model of Collaboration

Background 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 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 organize 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 2008 Imperial Queen’s Park Hotel, Bangkok, Thailand

Objectives: to take stock of the extent of initiatives/ projects/ programmes provided for the unreached in Southeast Asia to identify remaining common challenges in attaining EFA goals, particularly for the unreached groups in Southeast Asia to provide suggestions to accelerate progress towards reaching the unreached 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: Reviewed existing initiatives on reaching the unreached and determined remaining challenges and priorities Shared best practices (both countries and EFA partners) Identified strategies and activities to address the needs of the prioritized groups Drafted collaborative project proposals for the different target groups

Outputs and Outcomes: Increased awareness on the different unreached and underserved population groups in the region Greater appreciation of the need for regional cooperation to attain the EFA goals 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 multigrade 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

At present, 8 projects have lead countries. Projects without a lead country: Project on HIV and AIDS Project on Tracking mechanism for unreached populations 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 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 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 2 Sept 2008 Bangkok Post 30 Sept 2008

Conclusion EFA is a global commitment to provide quality basic education to all. Reaching the unreached in education remains a challenge in the quest to truly achieve the EFA Goals by 2015 in Southeast Asia. By working together, there is a greater chance to reach the unreached and address other remaining challenges.

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