The 10 Collaborative Projects to Reach the Unreached
(Please click on each project to see details on the lead country, participating countries, participating SEAMEO Regional Centres, participating EFA partners as well as the report on project progress.)
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20-21 June 2011
Meeting Documents
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Working Together to Reach the Unreached and Provide Education for All
in Southeast Asia
The Southeast Asian Ministers of Education declared in a joint statement during the 43rd Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO) Council Conference and 3rd ASEAN Education Ministers Meeting in March 2008, to focus future cooperation on implementing Education For All, particularly in addressing the educational needs of those population groups that are disadvantaged and remain "unreached". Through regional discussions, SEAMEO collaborated with UNESCO and ASEAN Secretariat and developed 10 Collaborative Projects to Reach the Unreached in Southeast Asia.
Who are the unreached?
Generally referred to as the "unreached", they constitute the last percentages of the population who have either been historically and culturally excluded, or have been pushed to difficult circumstances due to recent economic and political trends. They are in the lowest range in the indicators of education participation and performance, and they lack or have no access to educational opportunities and services.
The unreached include learners and students from remote communities, religious, linguistic and ethnic minorities, girls and women, students at risk of dropping out, children from migrant families, stateless individuals, learners with disabilities, street children, orphans, people affected or infected by HIV and AIDS, and others.
Working together to reach the unreached
With few years remaining, the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education through SEAMEO decided to join force and work together to accelerate the attainment of the Education for All goals, particularly focusing on the unreached groups in the SEAMEO Member Countries, namely, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor Leste and Vietnam.
This unique opportunity to work together as a region takes advantage of the strengths, good practices and resources of SEAMEO countries to help fellow countries in the Organization who lag behind in the implementation of the Education for All programmes, and need assistance to advance attainment of any of the goals in their countries. This initiative was led by SEAMEO Secretariat in coordination with UNESCO and the ASEAN Secretariat. This marked the first time for the three organizations to join efforts to trigger the momentum within the region to reach out further and address the education and development needs of the unreached groups in Southeast Asia. Other organizations referred to as "partners in Education for All" also support in implementing the 10 collaborative projects. These include UNESCO, ActionAid, ASPBAE, ATD Fourth World, Disability Action Council, E-Net Philippines, ILO, Save the Children, SIL International, and UNICEF.
In 2008, the SEAMEO Secretariat in cooperation with UNESCO and the ASEAN Secretariat convened the "Reaching the Unreached": Meeting of Southeast Asian Countries to Achieve the EFA Goals Together By 2015 on 2-4 September 2008 at the Imperial Queen's Park Hotel, Bangkok, Thailand to initiate discussion and identify remaining common challenges in attaining the EFA goals, particularly for the unreached groups in Southeast Asia and develop activities that Southeast Asian countries could work together on with the help of EFA partners.
Please click on the links to access relevant information.
- Background Information on the 2008 Regional Meeting
- Highlights of the 2008 Regional Meeting
- Full Report of the 2008 Regional Meeting