1. 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

2. The Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO)

3. 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

4. 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)

5. 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)

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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.’

10. 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

11. 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.

12. 41 officials from SEAMEO Member Countries; 13 EFA partners/INGOs; 21 representatives from ASEAN, UNESCO and SEAMEO

13. 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

14. 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

15. 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

16. 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

17. 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

18. 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

19. 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

20. 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

21. 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

22. 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

23. 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

24. 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

25. 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

26. 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 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

27. 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.

28. Bangkok Post
2 Sept 2008
Bangkok Post 30 Sept 2008

29. 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.

30. Thank you.
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