DIRECTOR BACANI ATTENDS HIGH OFFICIALS MEETING

SEAMEO INNOTECH Center Director Dr. Ramon C. Bacani participated in the 35th SEAMEO High Officials Meeting from 27 to 29 November 2012 in Bangkok, Thailand. The annual event is organized by the SEAMEO Secretariat, in cooperation with the Ministry of Education of Thailand, as a venue for high-level education officials of member countries, and associate and affiliate members to discuss important education issues that will be taken up in the 2013 SEAMEO Council Conference.

High on the agenda of this year’s meeting were issues related to Education for All, disaster risk management education, and hygiene and water sanitation programs in schools. The region’s education leaders were also expected to review the SEAMEO Strategic Plans for 2011-2020 and recommend specific actions to take for its implementation.

Dr. Bacani, along with Mr. Benito E. Benoza, head of SEAMEO INNOTECH’ s Knowledge Management and Networking Office, was part of more than 100 participants from SEAMEO member countries, associate and affiliate members, and regional centers, as well as development partners. The event also welcomed new partners and observers from the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology of the Republic of Korea, the ASEAN-China Center, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, and Save the Children Australia.

Other highlights of the meeting included the launching of the SEAMEO – Australia Education Links Award, which seeks to reward innovative education projects or proposals, and the presentation of the winners of the SEAMEO – Japan Education for Sustainable Development Award, which seeks to promote and share best practices in ESD in schools across Southeast Asia.