Thailand's Minister of Education Visits SEAMEO VOCTECH

Thailand's Minister of Education, His Excellency Jurin Laksanawisit who is also President of The Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organisation (SEAMEO) Council, was in Brunei as part of his working visit as the President of the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Council to the SEAMEO Regional Centre.

As president of the SEAMEO Council, the visit to SEAMEO VOCTECH yesterday was to gain information on the centre's mandate on strengthening and improving the quality of vocational and technical education and training through human resource development in Southeast Asian countries.

Over the past four decades, SEAMEO and its regional centres have played a significant role in upgrading the region's human infrastructure through cooperation in education, science and culture. "I am very pleased to learn that, since its establishment in 1990, SEAMEO VOCTECH has been dedicated to strengthen and improve the quality of vocational and technical education and training through human resources development in Southeast Asia by conducting more than 450 training courses of vocational and technical education for administrators, educators and technical officers of the SEAMEO region in pursuing its vision as the 'Leading Centre for Excellence,"' the Minister said.He added that under the Centre's motto 'Together We Excel', the Centre will continue to help SEAMEO Member Countries to make vocational education services meet the needs of the region and that the centre can also contribute to a better quality of life of the people through on-going development of human resources in the Southeast Asian region.

"Education and training plays an important role in ensuring more balanced and sustainable socio-economic development of the region. We all recognise the need to equip a new generation of young people, and indeed our existence of workforce, with the 21st Century competencies and foundation skills to support lifelong learning combined with a solid knowledge base they can build on and apply appropriately," he said.

The Thai minister was accompanied by the Thailand Ambassador to Brunei and more than 20 member delegation which comprised of a Permanent Secretary, Secretary Generals and Directors at the Ministry of Education, Thailand.