Vietnam assumes chair of ASEAN education channel

The Vietnamese Ministry of Education and Training took over the chairmanship of ASEAN Education for 2022 – 2023 from the Philippines at a ceremony on March 16.

In his speech, Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Kim Son congratulated the Philippines’s Department of Education for its successes in its role in 2020-2021 despite challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Son noted that the health crisis has negatively affected the education sector, causing school closures and difficulties in online learning and teaching, but ASEAN member states have strived to overcome unprecedented “shocks” to minimise negative impacts of the pandemic.

He called on ASEAN member nations to join hands in resuming education activities and better the ASEAN education system’s resilience in the new context.

This is a transition period that requires learners, schools, and parents to be ready to adapt to any form of learning, including both face-to-face and virtual learning, Son stressed, adding that an urgent priority now is to develop a more resilient education system that can withstand and recover from future crises.

Vietnam hopes to receive support from ASEAN member countries and partners during its presidency, Son said, noting that education should be based on the principles of collaboration and solidarity.

ASEAN Secretary General Lim Jock Hoi expressed his belief that Vietnam will successfully perform its role to build a more resilient education system in the region.