The Minister of Education Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Hamzah bin Haji Sulaiman recently shared key initiatives by Brunei Darussalam in providing students with equitable access to quality education during the virtual 39th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Human Resources Development Working Group Education Network (APEC HRDWG EDNET) meeting. The Minister emphasized the importance of educators being knowledgeable about technological developments related to the Fourth Industrial Revolution to ensure the delivery of quality education.
During the meeting, which was also being held physically in Bangkok, Thailand, delegates from APEC member economies and other relevant multilateral organizations came together to summarize and evaluate their work on joint educational projects, initiatives, and activities over the past year. The goal was to formulate future work plans to further enhance education in the region.
The two-day event, hosted by Thailand as the APEC Chair for 2022, comprised 12 sessions. The meeting began with welcoming remarks from Thailand’s Minister of Education, Treenuch Thienthong, followed by pre-recorded statements from Education Ministers of APEC member economies sharing their vision of education towards 2030 and the priorities of education development in their respective economies and the APEC region.
Minister Awang Haji Hamzah highlighted that the Ministry of Education (MoE) in Brunei Darussalam is continuously addressing disparity gaps to remain responsive and relevant to the future of work for the overall development of the economy. He stressed the importance of strengthening and shaping human capital to meet the demands of the global market.
The meeting also featured presentations on Thailand’s key deliverables and APEC projects. Today, the meeting continues with presentations from various APEC member economies on topics such as the ‚Future of Student Learning in a Digitalized World‘ and ‚Development of Skills for Potential Future‘. Additionally, there will be discussions on ‚Cross-Fora Collaboration for a Shared Future‘ with other multilateral organizations invited to share their perspectives on the future of education towards 2030 and explore potential opportunities for collaboration with APEC.
Officials from Brunei Darussalam’s Ministry of Education were also in attendance at the meeting, demonstrating the country’s commitment to enhancing education and preparing students for the challenges of the future. The initiatives shared by Minister Awang Haji Hamzah underscore the government’s dedication to providing quality education and ensuring that students have the necessary skills and knowledge to thrive in a rapidly evolving technological landscape.