Thailand's Permanent Secretary for Education Suthep Kaengsanthia has urged educators in the Asia-Pacific to show their commitment to transform education to ensure equitable access to quality education for every learner in the region.
Speaking during the 6th Asia-Pacific Meeting on Education 2030 (Apmed 6), which ran from Tuesday to Friday in Bangkok, Mr Suthep said Thailand is also one country in the Asia-Pacific region that needs to rethink and reshape the education system following disruptions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Thailand also faces environmental threats such as cross-border air pollution, climate change and drought, and they affect how learners learn, he said.
"We are at a key moment in time, where transforming our education system is more urgent than ever to ensure education in the region becomes more inclusive, resilient and relevant to the need of our societies," he added.
For Thailand, Mr Suthep said the country is committed to an educational vision as it realises education is the foundation of sustainable development and the key to unlocking the potential of every individual in every community.
Yet as the country is still experiencing the aftermath of pandemic-related learning gaps to environmental issues, collaborative solutions are needed, he said.
"Therefore, I urge educators in Asia-Pacific countries to commit to transforming education in the region," he said.
A previous "Bangkok Statement of 2022" document was launched after the "2nd Asia-Pacific Regional Education Minister's Conference" held in Bangkok from June 5–7, 2022.
That statement highlighted two priorities: Safe School Reopening, Learning Recovery and Continuity of Learning; and Transforming Education and the Education System. "So together, we can create an education system that is more inclusive, resilient and adaptable to the ever-changing world," he said.
Mr Suthep told more than 200 participants from about 30 Asia-Pacific countries at the meeting held under the theme "Accelerating Actions: Transforming the What and How of Learning for Sustainable Future" to highlight the needs to accelerate action to achieve the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4.
Sustainable Development Goal 4 is a commitment to "ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all". This goal is a pivotal driver for positive change, emphasising the transformative power of education in fostering a sustainable and equitable world.
Meanwhile, Soohyun Kim, Regional Director of Unesco Regional Office in Bangkok, said there is an urgent to ensure equitable access to quality education for every learner in every community across Asia-Pacific.
Ms Kim said several disruptions across the region such as the climate crisis, and rapid changes in work and life in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic, had left children in the Asia-Pacific region less prepared to cope with these problems.
"Let's imagine a 10-year-old girl living in our region. The escalating climate crisis, the rapid changes in work and life. In the aftermath of the pandemic, she is less prepared than she should be.
"She needs more than academic access. She needs an education that will help prepare her to engage in an increasingly digital world with complex challenges. Her ability to thrive academically, socially, and emotionally, depends on the actions we take," she said.
Yet Ms Kim said she believed at the current pace of achieving SDGs, the Asia-Pacific region may not be able to achieve SDGs until 2062, including SDG4.
"So, there should be a move to transform the 'what and how' of learning for sustainable future that affect not only what content is taught to the learners, but how to create the environment that will help nurture holistic development, well-being and lifelong learning," she said.
Kim: Disruptions across region
