Pattaya, Thailand | Rizky Ashar & Alejandro Ibanez. The SEA-PLM Regional Secretariat, alongside the programme Co-chairs from the SEAMEO Secretariat, represented by its Director Datuk Dr Habibah Abdul Rahim, and UNICEF EAPRO’s Regional Education Advisor  Ms Mitsue Uemura, gathered to  craft the next strategic plan for the Southeast Asia Primary Learning Metrics (SEA-PLM) programme, underpinning its continuous growth and impact on learning outcomes and educational policies throughout Southeast Asia  on April 29-30, 2024.

With funding support from the UK International Development through the ASEAN-UK SAGE programme, the workshop brought together key stakeholders to engage in comprehensive discussions, review past achievements, and set the way for future developments. The workshop underscored SEA-PLM’s unwavering commitment to enhancing educational quality and equity across the region. 

The SEA-PLM Regional Secretariat and its programme co-chairs from SEAMEO Secretariat and UNICEF discussed the strategy development and sustainability framework.

Facilitated by Mr Li Kai Chen, a seasoned consultant with prior experience at McKinsey, the two-day planning workshop in Pattaya was designed to review the current strategic plan while shaping a forward-looking agenda. Through comprehensive discussions, the workshop assessed the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of the current program, providing a robust foundation for future enhancements. Visioning sessions on strategy development and sustainability framework facilitated in-depth conversations among participants, leading to the review and development of the revitalised Theory of Change and sustainability framework to ensure alignment with regional educational commitments. Furthermore, the workshop prioritised the identification of key areas and the development of initial work plans for new program pillars.

The 2021 - 2025 plan laid a strong foundation, and it is an important step to make continuous adaptation and improvement. The new plan will build on past successes, address existing gaps, and ensure the SEA-PLM programme remains relevant and effective in the evolving educational landscape.

Looking ahead, the forthcoming strategic plan will build on the successes and lessons learned from the current and previous cycles. It will navigate challenges posed by post-COVID-19 context, while steadfastly accelerating the advancement of foundational learning in Southeast Asia. The insights from the workshop will inform the development of the strategic note, laying the foundation for the sustainability of the programme. With this direction, the outcomes of the workshop will entail enhancing the regional structures of the programme to better align with the long term vision in elevating basic education quality in Southeast Asia.