ASEAN, Timor-Leste Education Ministers Arrive in Langkawi For Regional Roundtables

LANGKAWI, June 17 (Bernama) -- Education ministers from ASEAN member states and Timor-Leste, along with their respective delegations, arrived at the Langkawi International Airport today to attend the ASEAN Ministers of Education and Higher Education Roundtables (#EduRoundtables2025).

The delegations, who began arriving as early as 10.30 am, were received by senior officials from the Ministry of Education (MOE), Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE) and the organising secretariat.

Among those who arrived are Timor-Leste Minister of Higher Education, Science and Culture José Honório da Costa Pereira Jerónimo, Brunei’s Minister of Education Datin Seri Setia Dr Romaizah Md Salleh and Vietnam’s Director-General of the International Cooperation Department, Ministry of Education and Training, Associate Professor Dr Nguyen Thu Thuy.

Also present were Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN for ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community San Lwin and Myanmar’s Director-General of the Monitoring and Evaluation Department, Ministry of Education, Dr Chaw Chaw Sein.

Throughout the three-day programme, the ministers and senior officials are expected to deliberate on a new framework that will guide the region’s educational direction moving forward.

In addition to the closed-door ASEAN Ministers of Education Roundtable session on June 19, Malaysia’s MOE will host the ASEAN Forum on Education on June 18 with the same theme, “Accelerating Innovative Strategies: Mitigating Out-of-School Children and Youth (OOSCY) Challenges.”

Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek is scheduled to deliver her remarks on Thursday.

Besides that, the Langkawi Joint Statement on OOSCY: Accelerating Innovative Strategies: Mitigating OOSCY Challenges is envisioned as a key document that reaffirms the commitment of ASEAN Member States to accelerate efforts in reducing the number of OOSCY, particularly as the grouping approaches the 10-year milestone of the ASEAN Declaration on Strengthening OOSCY.

The Statement aims to address critical challenges that have hindered progress towards inclusive education and to provide a guiding framework for advancing collective action through innovative and adaptive strategies.

For higher education, key items on the agenda include the expected endorsement of the ASEAN Leaders’ Declaration on Higher Education and the ASEAN Global Exchange for Mobility and Scholarship (ASEAN GEMS).

Other expected milestones include the adoption of the Roadmap and Workplan on Common Space in Southeast Asian Higher Education, along with the Terms of Reference of the Steering Committee on Common Space in Southeast Asian Higher Education.

Delegates will also take time to enjoy Langkawi’s natural beauty with a visit to the scenic UNESCO Global Geopark.

Malaysia, which holds the ASEAN Chairmanship for 2025 under the theme “Inclusivity and Sustainability,” hosted the 46th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits from May 23 to 26 at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre.

This marks Malaysia’s fifth time as ASEAN Chair, having previously held the role in 1977, 1997, 2005 and 2015.

-- BERNAMA