SEAMEO RECFON’s Governing Board held its 12th annual meeting virtually on 19-21 September 2022 to review the Centre’s achievements during fiscal year 2021/2022 and approve new initiatives for the next fiscal year 2022/2023. Six of eleven Governing Board (GB) Members from Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Myanmar, Thailand, and Singapore attended the annual meeting, as well as the representatives from Lao PDR, Malaysia, and Vietnam as observers.
The meeting was officially opened by Dr. Ir. Sri Gunani Partiwi, M.T, Acting Director of Learning and Student Affairs of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia (MoECRT RI). Messages were also given by Dr. Ethel Agnes Pascua-Valenzuela, SEAMEO Secretariat Director, and Dr. Agustin Kusumayati, MD, MSc, PhD, University Secretary of Universitas Indonesia during the opening ceremony.
The meeting discussed 13 working papers on both the technical and administrative aspects of the Centre’s operations. The administrative working papers included the Centre’s audited financial report and annual accomplishment report for fiscal year 2021-2022, proposed annual budget for the next three fiscal years, appointment of new Centre Director and Deputy Director for Administration (via in camera session), follow-up actions taken by the Centre on the agreements during the 11th GB meeting, and changes in appointments of SEAMEO RECFON Governing Board Members, SEAMEO RECFON staff members, and directorship of other SEAMEO Centers. The technical working papers included the updates on the implementation of the Centre’s flagship programs and special initiatives under its Third Five-Year Development Plan, results of the regional food and nutrition training needs assessment, proposal on benchmarking of nutritional status and eating habits of public school teachers in Southeast Asia, and proposal on transcultural translation and adaptation of SEAMEO RECFON’s early childhood care, nutrition and education (ECCNE) modules in Southeast Asia. SEAMES representative also presented about significant points, agreements, and actions taken on key agenda items from SEAMEO Meetings in FY 2021/2022.
At the closing of the meeting, SEAMEO RECFON Director Prof. Dr. Muchtaruddin Mansyur, MD, PhD appreciated the GB and the SEAMEO Secretariat for the valuable guidance and support they have extended to the Centre throughout his directorship period as he will end his term in December 2022.
The meeting was chaired by Myanmar GB Member Dr. Lwin Mar Hlaing while Thailand GB member Associate Prof. Dr. Warangkana Srichamnong served as the meeting’s chief rapporteur.
