Yogyakarta—The SEAMEO Regional Centres for QITEP in Mathematics (SEAQiM), QITEP in Language (SEAQiL), and QITEP in Science (SEAQiS) jointly organized the 15th Governing Board Meeting (GBM) at the Royal Ambarrukmo Hotel, Yogyakarta on 9—12 September 2024. This event marked a key milestone in fostering educational collaboration across Southeast Asia.
The opening ceremony was attended by notable guests, including Dr. Rachmadi Widdiharto, Director General of Primary Education, Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology of Indonesia (MoECRT), Dr. Datuk Habibah Abdul Rahim, Director of SEAMEO Secretariat, The Directors of the three SEAMEO QITEP Centres were also in attendance.
Dr. Sumardyono, Director of SEAQiM, warmly welcomed the attendees and emphasized the significance of the GBM in advancing education in Southeast Asia. He highlighted the close collaboration among SEAMEO Centres and their collective commitment to equipping teachers with innovative skills, aligning their efforts with SEAMEO’s priorities and Indonesia’s educational objectives.
Following Dr. Sumardyono’s remarks, Dr. Habibah Abdul Rahim, Director of SEAMEO Secretariat, stressed the importance of the GBM as a platform for reviewing achievements and discussing future initiatives. She highlighted the need for adaptability and innovation in education, science, and culture, particularly in response to rapid digital transformation. Dr. Habibah also underscored the importance of regional collaboration in tackling emerging challenges while preserving Southeast Asia’s rich cultural heritage.
Dr. Rachmadi Widdiharto delivered the keynote address, reaffirming Indonesia’s commitment to regional educational cooperation. He emphasized the alignment of national policies with SEAMEO’s goals, focusing on improving education quality through capacity building, innovation, and inclusivity. Dr. Rachmadi encouraged the attendees to engage in ambitious discussions to shape the future of education in Southeast Asia and officially declared the 15th GBM open.
After the joint opening ceremony, the three SEAMEO QITEP Centres held separate sessions to discuss their respective working papers. SEAQiM’s session, held in the Kencana Room, presented nine working papers for review, with active participation from Governing Board Members from Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Indonesia, Thailand and invited observers from MoECRT and BBGP-DIY.
In a key decision, the Governing Board unanimously elected Dr. Supattra Pativisan, the representative of GB Thailand as the new Chairperson and Prof. Dr. Aung Kyaw, the GB Member from Myanmar as the Vice-Chairperson.
The GB Members also reaffirmed their support for SEAQiM’s programme, which aligns with the educational priorities of MoECRT Indonesia and SEAMEO’s 7 Priority Agendas. They expressed hopes for fostering partnerships with potential collaborators to further strengthen educational initiatives.
The meeting concluded with a decision to hold the 16th Governing Board Meeting in Medan, Indonesia, from 15 to 19 September 2025. This year’s GBM strengthened cooperation between the SEAMEO QITEP Centres, further advancing educational development throughout Southeast Asia.
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