EDUCATION Secretary Leonor Briones was elected vice president of the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization for 2021-2022 during the 51st SEAMEO Council Conference on Thursday.

“We are grateful to be elected as the vice president of SEAMEC. This is a challenge for us to continue what we have started and improve it to continue education and to provide better future to our learners,” Briones said.

The Education chief was also elected vice chairperson of the SEAMEC Conference. As part of SEAMEO’s tradition, the current SEAMEC’s vice president will assume the presidency in the next Council Meeting in 2023.

The Minister of Education of Singapore — Chan Chung Sing — was voted as president and chairman of the SEAMEC.

The Philippines will host the 52nd SEAMEC to be held in 2023.

Briones proposed that the SEAMEO meet be held in Dumaguete City.

“It is very well-known as University Town and is the site of several excellent universities and research centers. At the same time, it is located in one of the most beautiful islands of Philippines,” Briones said.

Meanwhile, Sing said that the education sector in the region has adapted to the Covid19 pandemic, as countries managed to keep schools safe and ensure learning continuity.

“There have been so many silver linings that we should be proud of which will impact education for the better. We first adapt to digital learning, we accelerated our investment in this area, from infrastructure enhancement to device provisions, to e-learning resource developments, and more teachers are using educational technology to provide quality learning for students,” he said.

“Through a blended learning approach, where we can combine the best of technology where face-to-face interrupted, the crisis has brought the education opportunity closer together and closer to our stakeholders. With home-based learning, teachers work with parents and students to transit to the new arrangements,” he added.