Phnom Penh, Cambodia - On 26 to 27 March 2026, the SEA-PLM Regional Secretariat convened a regional capacity-building workshop in Cambodia, bringing together education representatives from six participating countries, Cambodia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, and Viet Nam, to strengthen the use of assessment findings in improving teaching and learning. The capacity-building workshop was made possible with the generous support of the UK Government through the ASEAN-UK SAGE programme.

Held following a series of country planning meetings, the workshop focused on how evidence from SEA-PLM can be translated into more practical action within classrooms and education systems. Central to the discussions was the release of the 2024 Regional Snapshot on Writing Results, alongside national datasets on writing, providing countries with fresh insights to guide reflection and reform

The newly released writing results anchored the workshop’s opening sessions, prompting dialogue on how writing is taught, assessed, and supported across the region. Participants examined key issues emerging from the data, including gender disparities, socioeconomic gaps, language practices, and the preparedness of teachers to deliver effective writing instruction.

Building on this evidence, the workshop shifted its focus to curriculum mapping as a practical next step. The SEA-PLM Curriculum Mapping Study aims to help countries align national curriculum expectations with SEA-PLM assessment frameworks and proficiency standards. This alignment is intended to strengthen coherence between curriculum, classroom instruction, and assessment practice

Technical experts from the National Institute of Education at Nanyang Technological University and the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) supported the workshop sessions by sharing guidance on curriculum mapping as a practical bridge between policy, assessment, and classroom practice.

The experts, including Dr Christina Tong Li Lim, Prof. Ban Heng Choy, Dr Donna Lim Ching-Tse, Ms Stavroula Zoumbolis, and Ms Sandra Knowles, contributed to discussions on how curriculum mapping can help align assessment frameworks with national curriculum expectations and strengthen classroom implementation. Their inputs helped position curriculum mapping not only as a technical exercise, but also as a tool to support more coherent education planning and practice.

(Left - Right) Ms Sandra Knowles, expert from ACER; Ms Christina Tong Li Lim, Mr Ban Heng Choy, and Ms Donna Lim Ching-Tse from Nanyang Technological University.

Phase 1 of the study focuses on developing practical curriculum maps in reading and mathematics at the primary level. These tools are designed to support teachers and curriculum officers in tracing how expected competencies align with SEA-PLM learning outcomes by the end of primary education

The Cambodia pilot served as the main example during the workshop. Participants were introduced to the methodology, the mapping templates, and the broader analytical approach developed under the study. Rather than asking each country to carry out a full mapping exercise during the session, the workshop focused on building shared understanding and preparing national teams for possible future application in their own contexts.

Representatives from six participating countries Cambodia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, and Viet Nam during Capacity Building on Curriculum Mapping

Country reflections underscored both the value and challenges of the approach. Cambodia highlighted its usefulness in informing curriculum reform, while noting the ongoing need to ensure alignment between curriculum documents and classroom materials. Malaysia pointed to the exercise as a way to identify gaps in how skills are reflected in both curriculum and teaching practice. The Philippines emphasized that such approaches make assessment reporting more meaningful and actionable, while Myanmar recognized the adaptability of curriculum mapping across diverse national contexts. 

Across the two-day workshop, a shared message emerged: assessment results should not end with reporting. Instead, they should inform curriculum development, strengthen teaching practices, and support more effective policy decisions.

As SEA-PLM continues to support countries in translating evidence into action, the Cambodia workshop marks another step in deepening regional collaboration and ensuring that assessment findings lead to meaningful improvements in education systems—bringing learning closer to the classroom and helping ensure that no child is left behind.

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SEA-PLM is supported by the ASEAN-Korea Cooperation Fund (AKCF) and the UK Mission to ASEAN under the ASEAN-UK Supporting the Advancement of Girls’s Education (ASEAN-UK SAGE) Programme. Its content is the sole responsibility of the SEA-PLM Regional Secretariat and does not necessarily reflect the views of AKCF and ASEAN-UK SAGE.”