SEAMEO has 21 centers of excellence on its 50th year

MANILA, Philippines - The Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO) of which the Philippines is a charter member commemorated last Nov. 30 its 50th anniversary, optimistic that it can continue enhancing the development of the education, science and culture sectors in Southeast Asia.

Founded on Nov. 30, 1965, SEAMEO can look back to the past half century with pride and achievement for having metamorphosed into one of the most resilient and viable inter-government treaty bodies of nations that have weathered the harsh realities and exigencies of the times in this part of the world.

Starting with only six member-countries (Thailand, Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Laos), SEAMEO now also has Cambodia, Myanmar, Vietnam and Timor-Leste as members.

It has eight associate members: Australia, Canada, France, Germany, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Spain and the United Kingdom.

As it celebrated its 50th anniversary this year, the China Education Association for International Exchange (CEAIE) joined SEAMEO as its fourth affiliate member.

The British Council, Tsukuba University in Japan and the International Council for Open and Distance Education had earlier been admitted as affiliate members.

The most noticeable manifestation of the organization‘s continued growth and development is the increase in the number of centers of excellence (COEs) that it has been establishing in the member-countries through which it pursues its programs, projects and activities.

Starting with only three COEs during SEAMEO’s formative years, SEAMEO now has 21 regional centers focusing on education, science and culture.

The fields of specialization include tropical medicine, tropical biology, graduate education in agriculture (doctoral or PhD and master’s or MS), science and mathematics teaching, educational innovation and technology, vocational and technical education and training, archaeology and fine arts, history and tradition, open learning, food and nutrition, lifelong learning, and quality improvement of teachers and education personnel in science, mathematics and language.

SEAMEO is governed by the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Council (SEAMEC), the body’s highest policy-making body composed of the ministers of education of the 11 member-countries.