Bandar seri begawan: His Royal Highness Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah, Crown Prince and Senior Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office, emphasized the pivotal role of education in driving positive change at the opening of the 53rd Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization Council (SEAMEC) Conference. His Royal Highness stressed the collective responsibility of equipping future generations with the necessary skills and knowledge to tackle challenges such as climate change. The event took place at The Empire Brunei on the morning of July 1st.
According to Radio Television Brunei, His Royal Highness was welcomed by Yang Berhormat Datin Seri Setia Dr. Dayang Hajah Romaizah binti Haji Mohd. Salleh, Minister of Education, and His Excellency Juan Edgardo ‘Sonny’ Angara, Secretary of Education of the Philippines and President of the SEAMEO Council. The conference opened with the reading of Surah Al-Fatihah and Doa Selamat by Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Paduka Seri Utama Dato Paduka Seri Setia Haji Awang Salim bin Haji Besar, followed by a welcoming speech from the Minister of Education, who elaborated on the conference theme.
In his sabda, His Royal Highness highlighted the necessity of integrating sustainability principles into educational practices to address the interconnected challenges of the environment, society, and economy. He reaffirmed Brunei Darussalam’s commitment to the Greening Education Plan, a strategic framework for embedding sustainability into the educational system.
The President of the SEAMEO Council remarked that the organization’s 60th anniversary and the 53rd council conference underscore SEAMEO’s dedication to transforming education across the region. Following his speech, His Royal Highness signed the Greening Education Plan Book and met with Ministers from the 11 Member Countries and the SEAMEO Secretariat Director.