Regional Steering Committee in Siem Reap, Cambodia

The year 2024 was marked by monumental achievements, from successful data collection in participating countries to high-level regional engagements that shaped the future of the programme in enhancing education quality in the region. With support from the ASEAN Secretariat, ASEAN-Korea Cooperation Fund (AKCF), the UK government under the ASEAN-UK SAGE programme, key regional partners, and the collaborative efforts among participating countries, SEA-PLM continues to demonstrate its commitment to  improve foundational learning through regionally comparable data and learning assessment evidence. 

One of this year's highlights was the successful implementation of the SEA-PLM 2024 main survey.  This initiative gathered robust data on student learning outcomes, starting with the first batch of countries, Lao PDR, the Philippines, and Viet Nam, followed by the second batch of countries Cambodia, Malaysia, Myanmar, and Timor-Leste. This effort reflects the SEA-PLM’s commitment to generating comparable data and indicators and monitoring foundational learning outcomes through strong collaboration with national teams across the participating countries.

At the governance level, the programme convened the 14th SEA-PLM Regional Steering Committee Meeting. The high-level meeting brought together high officials and key representatives  from SEAMEO Member Countries to review progress, share programme insights, and strengthen dialogue in order to collectively achieve SEA-PLM’s mission for all children in the region.. The regional meeting was followed by the High-Level Regional Conference on Foundational Learning culminating with a presentation of the regional priorities for action on foundational learning, in line with strategies outlined during SEAMEO’s 6th Strategic Dialogue for Education Ministers in February 2023.. Looking ahead, the regional discourse on foundational learning is expected to be enriched with the anticipated launch of the SEA-PLM 2024 results in 2025. 

Representatives from Ministry of Education Cambodia Mr Hangchuon Naron, Korean Ambassador Mr Lee Jang-keun, Datuk and Mitsue as Co-Chairs, and seven participating countries (Cambodia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines,Viet Nam, and Timor-Leste)

To further its mission of advanced foundational learning in the region, SEA-PLM launched the Technical Experts Network (TEN) in Bangkok, Thailand. This inaugural meeting brought together regional and international experts from academic institutions, dedicated to leveraging SEA-PLM’s extensive data to drive transformative changes in foundational learning. Experts from Nanyang Technological University, Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris Malaysia,Curriculum Development Division Ministry of Education Malaysia, University of the Philippines – Diliman, Philippine Normal University, SEAMEO Regional Center for QITEP in Mathematics, SEAMEO CECCEP, Taylors University Lakeside Campus Malaysia, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Nanyang Technological University,  National University of Singapore were among the attendees.

Experts convene at the SEA-PLM Technical Expert Network Meeting to provide valuable insights and guidance for the program, strengthening its approach to improving education systems and learning outcomes across Southeast Asia

Building on this momentum, The SEA-PLM Regional Secretariat, Co-chaired by the SEAMEO Secretariat and UNICEF East Asia and Pacific Regional Office (EAPRO), held an Extraordinary Session: Regional Consultation on 23 - 24 October 2024 in Bangkok. Representatives from participating countries, the ASEAN Secretariat, and AKCF gathered to reflect on the program’s achievements and outline the roadmap for SEA-PLM post-2024. Key discussion included national strategies for resource mobilization, partner engagement, and policy-oriented actions on the use of survey findings to improve education systems in the region.

Representative of ASEAN Korea Cooperation Fund, ASEAN secretariat, and also Ministry of Education from participating countries participated in the dialogue to discuss the program achievement and reflection

What’s next for SEA-PLM?

Building on the momentum of 2024, SEA-PLM plans to organize a follow-up regional event on foundational learning in 2025. Following the insights and key points shared during the extraordinary session: regional consultation on the SEA-PLM program, participating countries are encouraged to maintain momentum and translate the regional agreements into national-level plans of action. In early 2025, the SEA-PLM Regional Secretariat, in collaboration with key partners, will conduct a series of country-level workshops. These workshops will provide a platform for further collaboration enabling countries to transform SEA-PLM data, findings, and methodologies into actionable insights and strategies for enhancing educational outcomes for all children.