SEAMEO RECFON held an online media briefing with national mass media on September 18, 2023, in order to disseminate information related to the 13th SEAMEO RECFON Governing Board Meeting (GBM) and Early Childhood Care, Nutrition, and Education (ECCNE Awards) this year

The media briefing invited two resource persons to deliver their key messages, namely Dr. Zainun Misbah (Acting Director of SEAMEO RECFON) and Prof. Dr. Sri Suning Kusumawardani, ST, MT (Director of Learning and Student Affairs, Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology).

In delivering his key message, Dr. Zainun said that this year there were 13 working papers that would be discussed at the Governing Board Meeting (GBM). In addition, Dr. Zainun also conveyed the achievements of ECCNE Program which plays a role in increasing the capacity of local governments through the promotion of balanced nutrition guidelines based on local food (PGS PL) and the implementation of holistic integrative early childhood development (HI ECD) and its supporting components (care, education, health, nutrition, and environment) to optimize child growth and development.

“SEAMEO RECFON has also trained 580 local governments at the district/city level and local academic partners through Master of Trainer (MoT) training held in 2019-2022, as a team to assist the implementation of the ECCNE program in each district/city. This program is in line with the Government of Indonesia’s priorities in accelerating stunting reduction,” said Dr. Zainun.

As the ministry responsible for coordinating SEAMEO Centers in Indonesia, the delivery of key messages from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology (MOECRT) was represented by Prof. Dr. Sri Suning Kusumawardani. Prof. Sri said that the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology has collaborated with SEAMEO in implementing the “Merdeka Belajar Kampus Merdeka” (MBKM) policy through the SEAMEO Outlook Education 21 program through 7 SEAMEO Centers, namely BIOTROP, SEAMOLEC, RECFON, QITEP in Mathematics, QITEP in Science, QITEP in Language, and SEAMEO CECCEP.

Prof. Sri hopes that SEAMEO RECFON can strengthen the implementation of the “Three Pillars of Higher Education” or “Tri Dharma Perguruan Tinggi” by producing quality evidence-based policy recommendations for the Government and other stakeholders.

“The role of SEAMEO RECFON as a think tank of the Directorate General of Higher Education, Research, and Technology, needs to be strengthened through the implementation of MBKM and programs to strengthen the Three Pillars of Higher Education, especially as a Southeast Asian regional food and nutrition study center that will produce evidence-based policies to improve the quality of food and nutrition in Indonesia and Southeast Asia,” said Prof. Sri.

“The MOECRT hopes that the 13th SEAMEO RECFON Governing Board Meeting can produce sustainable agreements, policies, and programs to accelerate food and nutrition improvements in Southeast Asia,” Prof. Sri said.

“Various research and evidence from universities and the community related to good practices in accelerating food and nutrition improvement, including addressing stunting at the regional level through family approach, can be the basis for formulating policy options for GBM to further become recommendations submitted to the government and related stakeholders,” continued Prof. Sri.

In closing her key message, Prof. Sri also advised that the ECCNE Awards to district / city governments and academic partners could strengthen commitment and collaboration in the implementation of accelerated food and nutrition improvement programs in line with the government’s national priorities.

The organization of the media briefing was supported by the Bureau of Cooperation and Public Relations, MOECRT and was attended by 10 national mass media (RRI, MINA News, Sumatera Ekspres, Bisnis Today, Public Info, Sinar Harapan Net, Koran Jakarta, Harian Waspada, Suara Karya, and LKBN Antara).