SEAMEC President visits INNOTECH Center

Thailand’s Minister of Education and also the current President of the SEAMEO Council, HE Dr. Teerakiat Jareonsettasin, visited the Center on 19 April 2017 for a brief dialogue on the programs and projects of INNOTECH. On behalf of the Center Director Dr. Ramon C. Bacani, Knowledge Management and Networking Office Manager Mr. Benito Benoza welcomed the President and his staff together with the rest of the INNOTECH Management Team and Prof. Romeo R. Quizon, Dean of College of Public Health University of Manila and Center Director of SEAMEO TROPMED Philippines.

Through the short program, Mr. Benoza introduced SEAMEO INNOTECH’s major projects, programs, and services for the region. He emphasized some accomplishments of the Center such as its flexible learning programs, training courses, and numerous research projects including school health care and nutrition, 21st century teaching-learning, mobile technology, rights-based education, and education in emergencies, among others. Mr. Benoza also presented the Center’s contribution to the Philippine education, particularly the support to K-12 reforms and to Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM).

Mr. Benoza also presented some Center projects involving the Thai Ministry of Education, underlining the partnership with the National Institute for Development of Teachers, Faculty Staff and Educational Personnel (NIDTEP) in implementing blended learning and capacity building programs to Thai teachers, school heads and educators. He also mentioned the Toolkit for Building Disaster-Resilient School Communities in Southeast Asia and the translation of the Competency Framework for Southeast Asian School Heads Guidebook in 7 languages including Thai.

(Related articles: INNOTECH translates Competency Framework for SEA School Heads to 7 languages)

Prof. Romeo R. Quizon, Dean of College of Public Health University of the Philippines Manila and Center Director of SEAMEO TROPMED Philippines, also introduced their Center to His Excellency. He presented the different fields of expertise they have, which includes Health Policy and Administration, Health Promotion and Education, Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Medical Microbiology, Nutrition, Parasitology, and Environmental and Occupational Health Management.

The two SEAMEO Centers expressed their gratitude to the support of SEAMEO Council to their operations. The Centers also hope to have more collaborative works across the region in the future.

Likewise, the SEAMEC President expressed his gratitude to the Centers. He applauded the success of the two Centers, for staying strong and sustaining its operations through the years.

“The Philippines is lucky to have some of the oldest SEAMEO Centers. I would like to congratulate you for the success, strength, and sustainability you’ve done.” His Excellency said as he encouraged the Centers to continue the good work and aim to further enhance the quality of services and programs offered by both Centers.

It is part of the activities of the SEAMEO Council President to visit SEAMEO Centers around the region for a dialogue to provide new directions and open up new avenues of collaboration. In his brief visit to the Philippines, he has also visited SEAMEO SEARCA as well as the Philippine Department of Education.