Expanding education
By Lyna Mohammad

Dr Edilberto C. De Jesus, Secretary of Education, the Republic of Philippines (L) with the Vice-Chancellor of UBD, Dr Hj Ismail bin Hj Duraman 

"Much has changed in the region since the interception of a regional organisation in the late 1960s. SEAMEO was born amidst a Southeast Asia that was struggling with multiple development and social problems. Southeast Asia is now one of the fastest-growing economic blocs in the world, chalking up unprecedented economic growth rates, with some countries reaching the highest levels of productivity." This was said by the visiting President of the Council of Southeast Asian ministers of Education Organisation (SEAMEO), Dr Edilberto C. De Jesus, who officially opened the SEAMEO VOCTECH Regular Course on Curriculum Planning for Vocational and Technical School Teachers, yesterday at the SEAMEO VOCTECH in Gadong.

Dr Edilberto added that significant gains have been made in key areas.

"Changing realities, however, prompt us to face newer challenges. Among others, maintaining quality of learning and relevance of education, providing access to those who are underserved and marginalised and improving efficiency in the use of resources for education in particular.

"The need for education to play a role in developing sensitivity to environmental concerns is something this sector must be able to address and much more. The combined use of instructional media and developments in instructional design and delivery systems now enable a learner to acquire the same skills, knowledge and attitudes," he noted.

Dr Edilberto congratulated SEAMEO VOCTECH for putting together the innovative use of technology tools for improving management of the teaching/learning process such as the Microsoft Project to address needs of education planners at varying levels. This reinforces the view that technology and innovation offers a broad set of options for introducing improvements in the learning system.

He also hoped that participants will be bold enough to try out new innovations on their own, where while the innovations are initially meant for the technical and vocational education sector, may find resonance in other learning systems, particularly in the basic education, where technology support at practically all levels, even at the level of state-level planning and policy formulation, would be of key importance.

"Given the new and emerging challenges not only to technical and vocational education and training but to learning as a whole, mastery and effective use of the new and emergent information and communications technologies should put the Southeast Asian Learner at an advantage," he concluded.

The course, participated by teachers from Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Malaysia, Philippines, Indonesia and Brunei Darussalam, began yesterday and will end April 26.

Also present were the Centre Director, Awg Hj Mohd Daud Hj Mahmud, Philippine Ambassador to Brunei, Virginia H. Benavidez and embassy officials as well as officials and staff members of the centre.

Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin