ASEAN and partners discuss efforts to strengthen education sector in post-pandemic world

JAKARTA, 7 October 2021 – ASEAN education ministers and senior officials convened on 29 September-1 October for a series of meetings under the theme of Transforming Education the ASEAN Way: Forging Partnerships in the Age of Global Disruptions, in line with the Philippine Chairmanship’s theme of the ASEAN education sector.

Recognising the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on regional and global education, ASEAN Member States exchanged best practices and lessons learned on the recovery efforts , to support ASEAN education sector in building back better and stronger. The meetings also discussed ongoing initiatives and explored future collaboration with its dialogue partners, particularly in supporting the recovery and transformation of the education systems across ASEAN.

Education ministers highlighted issues relevant to regional collaboration on education, particularly to support the ASEAN education sector’s recovery from COVID-19 through the integration of ICT in education. They also provided strategic guidance in steering the education sector towards reopening, recovery and resilience.

The meetings adopted the joint statement of the respective meeting to reiterate their commitments and guidance for the future collaboration on education under the framework of ASEAN Plus Three and East Asia Summit. The joint statements are available here: [Joint Statement of the 5th APT EMM], [Joint statement of the 5th EAS EMM]

The Department of Education Philippines, with support from the ASEAN Secretariat, organised the meetings which took place online and in-person in Manila. The series of meetings included:

• The 16th ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting on Education (SOM-ED) held on 29 September;

• The 11th ASEAN Plus Three Senior Officials Meeting on Education (11th SOM-ED+3) and 6th East Asia Summit (EAS) SOM-ED held on 30 September;

• 5th ASEAN Plus Three Education Ministers Meeting (APT EMM) – Morning of 1 Oct 2021:

• 5th East Asia Summit Education Ministers Meeting (EAS SOM-ED) – Afternoon of 1 Oct 2021.

Senior officials from ASEAN Member States participated in the 16th SOM-ED. In addition to the ASEAN senior officials, the 11th SOM-ED+3 involved representatives from China, Japan and ROK (Plus Three Countries), while the 6th EAS SOM-ED involved representatives from Australia, India, Russia, and the United States of America, along with the ASEAN Plus Three Countries. The ASEAN Secretariat, AUN Secretariat, SEAMEO Secretariat and partner organisation representatives also attended.

Viet Nam as the incoming chair of the ASEAN education sector announced the next ASEAN Education Ministers and Senior Officials Meetings in 2022.

The SOM-ED, SOM-ED+3 and EAS SOM-ED were established in 2006, 2010 and 2012, respectively, to strengthen education in the region, as well as facilitate closer collaboration and cooperation on education development among ASEAN Plus Three and East Asia Summit countries. They report to their respective ministerial body, namely ASEAN Education Ministers Meeting, ASEAN Plus Three Education Ministers Meeting, and East Asia Summit Education Ministers Meeting.

Source: ASEAN Secretariat