Region must address learning gaps – Sara

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines yesterday formally assumed the rotating presidency of the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO) Council, with Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte underscoring the need to “act now” to address gaps and challenges in the education sector across the region.

Speaking at the opening of the 52nd SEAMEO Council Conference in Mandaluyong on Wednesday, the Vice President highlighted the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on education systems worldwide.

“It has worsened education inequality, with younger, vulnerable and disadvantaged children among the most affected,” she said, citing a United Nations Children’s Fund report showing that more than half of 10-year-olds in low- and middle-income countries were unable to read or comprehend a simple story even before the pandemic.

“In addition, learning poverty, or the inability to read and comprehend a basic text by the age of 10, has gotten worse because of the disruption in schooling and is currently thought to be close to 70 percent,” she added.

Education leaders, she said, have a huge responsibility to ensure that children do not miss out on the benefits of learning.

“In all of these, one thing is clear: We need to act now. We cannot afford to waste more time,” she said.

“The decisions we make today will help determine the quality of life in our countries and the entire ASEAN region, and the ripple effect of these decisions can reverberate for generations to come,” she added.

The Vice President also reiterated the Department of Education (DepEd), under her leadership, recently unveiled “MATATAG” agenda.

“Under the MATATAG agenda are four key components:  MA for making the curriculum relevant to produce job-ready, active and responsible citizens; TAking steps to accelerate the delivery of basic education facilities and provision of services; TAking good care of learners by promoting learner well-being, inclusive education and a positive learning environment; and Giving support for teachers to teach better,” she told her counterparts.

“The Philippine government, under the leadership of our President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., has committed to the MATATAG education agenda and has made a national commitment to increase investments in education. The President has emphasized that we cannot fail our children – we need to help them so they become great,” she added.

She urged fellow education ministers to work together, embrace the spirit of “bayanihan” and continue valuing education as a shared duty of everyone.

Held every two years, the SEAMEO Council Conference is convened to enable education ministers in the region to determine the policies and main lines of work of the organization.

SEAMEO is a regional intergovernmental organization established in 1965 to promote cooperation among the Southeast Asian nations through education, science and culture.

Its 11 members are Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor Leste and Vietnam.

Duterte, as education secretary, formally assumed the SEAMEO Council’s rotating two-year presidency during the plenary yesterday. She took over from Singaporean Minister of Education Chan Chun Sing.

The last time the Philippines held the regional organization’s presidency was in 2010, when the country had three DepEd chiefs due to the elections and the change in administration: Jesli Lapus, Mona Valisno and Armin Luistro.