The Southeast Asia Primary Learning Metrics (SEA-PLM) took centre stage at a major global education event, participating in the ASEAN Ministerial Roundtable on Foundational Learning held at the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre in London from 18–22 May 2025, as part of the 2025 Education World Forum. The roundtable brought together ASEAN Ministers and High Officials, led by SEAMEO Council President Sonny Angara and Vice President Romaizah binti Haji Mohd Salleh, along with senior representatives from Cambodia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Viet Nam, and Thailand. Discussions focused on the state of foundational learning across Southeast Asia and the urgent need to accelerate education reforms in response to the regional learning crisis.

Datuk Dr Habibah Abdul Rahim, SEAMEO Director, and Mr Alejandro Ibanez, SEA-PLM Programme Manager, at the Educational World Forum in London 2025.

SEA-PLM, represented through the SEAMEO Secretariat delegation and participating member countries, took part in the ASEAN Ministerial Roundtable to provide evidence and data on student’s foundational skills,highlighting both the urgent challenges and emerging policy responses drawn from robust regional data. 

The sharing from the SEA-PLM Regional Secretariat focused on the tangible policy shifts that countries are implementing in response to these findings. For example, Lao PDR and the Philippines have initiated curriculum reform to improve early grade literacy, while Cambodia has increased investment in early grade learning following the pandemic. In addition, preliminary findings from SEA-PLM 2024 reveal promising improvements in various equity indicators and other learning metrics.

SEA-PLM’s new strategy Initiative 2: Evidence to policy linkages was spotlighted as a model for translating data into actionable reforms. This initiative supports countries in using assessment data to drive decision making at both national and sub-national levels.

As SEA-PLM prepares to release the 2024 regional results later this year, the insights are expected to provide countries with critical feedback on their post COVID recovery strategies. The result will also inform the programme’s strategic roadmap for 2026-2030, including preparation for the next regional assessment cycle, SEA-PLM 2029, which will align with the UN’s SDG 2030 targets.

Education World Forum 2025 Plenary Session

During the EWF, the SEA-PLM delegation also engaged in side meetings with key partners and stakeholders in the UK and beyond leveraging strategic partnerships and global coalitions to enhance the programme’s visibility and influence, and to sustain momentum in advancing foundational learning across Southeast Asia."  

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The UK supports SEA-PLM through the ASEAN-UK SAGE Programme, funded by UK International Development.