Jakarta, Indonesia, September 9, 2026 — SEAMEO QITEP in Language (SEAQIL) held its 17th Governing Board Meeting (GBM) in a mixed-mode format in Jakarta. The GBM brought together Board Members from SEAMEO member countries to review SEAQIL's achievements and work plans in the field of language education in Southeast Asia.
The 17th GBM SEAQIL was attended by representatives of the SEAMEO Secretariat and Governing Board Members. Four members of the Board of Trustees attended offline, namely Michael Joseph P. Cabauatan (Philippines), Iwa Lukmana (Indonesia), Dr. Faizal bin Hj. Zainudin (Malaysia), and Afonso Soares (Timor-Leste). Meanwhile, seven members of the Board of Trustees attended the meeting online, namely Tutty Hyrneeita binti Haji Abd Latip (Brunei Darussalam), Tith Mab (Cambodia), Asst. Prof. Dr. Latsanyphone Soulignavong (Laos), Prof. Dr. May San Yee (Myanmar), Solastri Suyot (Singapore), Asst. Prof. Dr. Kiat Thepchuaysuk (Tailan), and Dr. Nguyen Thi Mai Huu (Vietnam).
In her opening remarks, the Secretary General of the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, Suharti, emphasized the crucial role of language in supporting the learning process across all subjects. She stated that children need to understand the language used in class while gradually developing skills in additional languages.
Suharti also outlined Indonesia's efforts to strengthen literacy and numeracy, particularly through early elementary school learning, teacher competency development, and the use of diagnostic assessment data. She emphasized that expanding access to books must be accompanied by their regular use in classroom learning. She also highlighted the Rumah Pendidikan platform as a crucial part of Indonesia's digital transformation of education through an integrated digital ecosystem that supports teachers, students, and other education stakeholders.
Suharti then outlined three challenges that SEAQIL needs to address in supporting SEAMEO member countries. First, strengthening the role of teachers in integrating literacy into daily learning. Second, encouraging the implementation of the Southeast Asian Roadmap on Multilingual Education (SEA-MLE Roadmap ) through policy dialogue and support tailored to each country's context. Third, leveraging technology, including artificial intelligence, to support learning objectives.
"I hope this meeting will provide a clear direction for SEAQIL for the years to come, strengthen the engagement of all SEAMEO Member States, and transform the knowledge we share into concrete steps to improve children's learning," said Suharti.
Fuat Edi Kurniawan, Research, Evaluation, and Assessment Specialist, representing the SEAMEO Secretariat, outlined the role of the Advisory Board in providing strategic direction and overseeing SEAQIL governance. He also emphasized the importance of ensuring that the perspectives of SEAMEO member countries are part of SEAQIL's work and its contribution to the regional agenda.
Fuat also appreciated SEAQIL's work in developing the SEA-MLE Roadmap and regional research on the Technological, Pedagogical, and Content Knowledge (TPACK) of foreign language teachers. He noted that both are relevant to SEAMEO member countries' efforts to develop language education approaches tailored to their respective contexts.
SEAQIL Director, Dr. Brian Arieska Pranata, stated that the meeting provided an opportunity to review SEAQIL's achievements and provide direction for the institution's future development. He emphasized SEAQIL's role in fostering knowledge exchange and supporting SEAMEO member countries in addressing various challenges in language education.
The 17th SEAQIL GBM discussed 12 working papers covering, among others, the topics of literacy, multilingual education, technology, and institutional governance. To lead this year's meeting and next year's (18th GBM), the Board of Trustees members agreed to elect Laos (Asst. Prof. Dr. Latsanyphone Soulignavong) as Chairperson , Indonesia (Iwa Lukmana) as Vice-Chairperson , and the Philippines (Michael Joseph P. Cabauatan) as Chief Rapporteur . The Board of Trustees' directives serve as input for the future development of SEAQIL's programs and institutions. The 17th GBM series then concluded with a cultural visit for participants who attended offline.*** (Writer: M. Ryan Firmansyah / Editor: Denty / Photographer: SEAQIL Team)
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