THE DEPARTMENT of Education lauded the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization’s Regional Center for Educational Innovation and Technology for its projects and contributions to learning continuity amid the pandemic.

Education Secretary Leonor Briones commended the center during the virtual launch of its commemorative coffee table book, “SPECTRUM: Stories of SEAMEO INNOTECH’s 50 Vibrant Years” and the celebration of its 51st anniversary last June 29, 2021.

“The services rendered by the center and its contribution to the host country, especially at the height of the pandemic, are much appreciated and demonstrated our rallying cry that education must take place no matter when, no matter where, no matter how, and no matter what,” Briones said.

The DepEd chief was recently elected as SEAMEO vice president for 2021-2022.

“The center’s innovation relates to promoting access and improved quality of education in the context of major disruptions enabled by appropriate technology and drawn from research,” Briones added.

SPECTRUM is part of SEAMEO INNOTECH’s celebration of its 50th anniversary last year. It includes the five decades of service for the center reimagined as colors that make up the spectrum.

“INNOTECH is 51 years old now but looking back on the milestones, activities, and committments, SEAMEO INNOTECH is 51 years younger. Not only beginning to flex its wings, dreaming of an even brighter future, and energetically moving forward building on illustrous history of academic institutional achievements,” Director of SEAMEO Secretariat Dr. Ethel Agnes Valenzuela said.

Jelico Angelo Arriesgado, the team leader for the book, said that the five core values of INNOTECH are mirrored in its five vibrant decades of operation and represented by five colors in the spectrum: Red for excellence in action, blue shows integrity at work, yellow for drive of innovation, green for growth and social responsibility, and magenta for harmony and collaboration.

A website was also launched to supplement the commemorative book. Stories of innovations, a collection of memorabilia, and a digital time capsule are the main features of the digital platform.