Achievements in participating in APEC

EDNET

The 40th APEC EDNET Meeting was attended by a total of 18 economies: Australia, Brunei, Chile, China, China Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Mexico, Peru, Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Chinese Taipei, Thailand, and the United States. The meeting was opened by EDNET Coordinator, Mr. Zhao Yuchi, followed by the U.S. Secretary of Education, Dr. Miguel Cardona and his pre-recorded opening speech. Finally, the HRDWG Lead Shepherd, Mr. Zhao Li highlighted the recent initiatives in promoting digital literacy and enhancing vocational education to create a more favorable educational environment.

The meeting was expected to have in-depth discussions on relevant educational issues and explore opportunities for cross-economy collaboration. Following the opening remarks, representatives from each economy introduced their respective delegation members. Our delegation was represented by Deputy Director General Chang Jin Shu, who expressed gratitude to the United States for hosting the meeting and introduced our attending team members.

The meeting began with a review of APEC education cooperation in 2022 by Ms. Chitralada Chanyaem from the Ministry of Education of Thailand, highlighting the key areas and accomplishments of the year. This was followed by the introduction of the key proposals and activities for 2023 by EDNET Co-Chair, Mr. Rafael Nevárez. The main themes and priority areas for the Education Development Subgroup are as follows:

1. Utilizing schools as community resource centers to promote equitable education rights and provide comprehensive support.

2. Diversifying teacher training systems.

3. Enhancing digital literacy: With the widespread adoption of digital technology and online teaching, enhancing digital literacy education has become an important topic. Moreover, the COVID-19 pandemic has led to changes in working patterns, which necessitates discussions on issues such as teacher recruitment.

Our representative, Dr. Yunhua Yang, shared our economy's policies and plans in the education system at various levels which aligns with the main themes of the conference. Dr. Yang also shared that our government is gradually implementing subsidies for digital learning tools, such as providing learning tablets to each student and establishing an educational platform system for schools to facilitate the digitization and exchange of teaching resources. Lastly, Ms. Cecilia Martins, representative of the Department of Human Development, Education, and Employment of the Organization of American States, shared the education policy for 2022-2027, emphasizing collaborative cooperation with other international organizations and proposing feasible solutions. This include linking policies and action plans, organizing conferences, and sharing statistical data and policy-making mechanisms with other organizations.

During the section of project proposals, we reported our concept notes for the year 2023: "Digital and Inclusive Talents Cultivation and Technology (AI)-Enabled Collaboration: TVET's Integrative Models of Skills and Trainings" and "APEC Youth Impact Forum: Promoting Local Sustainability and Inclusive Growth to Enhance Post-pandemic Regional Resilience and Prosperity". We also introduced another concept note titled APEC Forum on Women and Youth Empowerment: Advancing Innovative Education and Enhancing Workforce Skills for a Sustainable and Inclusive Future for session 2 submission, hoping to get economies support and co-sponsorship.

After the meeting, we will continue to maintain contact with APEC member economies to further enhance the outcomes of the conference, explore new models of APEC education cooperation, and continue to contribute substantively to APEC.

Participating in 2023 APEC

APEC Education Officials Dialogue: Schools as Community Hubs

The meeting began with a pre-recorded opening remark from Cindy Marten, the Deputy Secretary of Education from the United States, highlighting the importance of schools as community centers amidst the impact of Covid-19. This meeting was attended by 11 economies, including Australia, Hong Kong, China, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, Chinese Taipei, Thailand, the United States, and Chile.

After the opening remarks, one of the panelists, Dr. Huong Le Thu from UNESCO, provided a global perspective on the impact of the pandemic, reducing learning opportunities and lifelong learning prospects, cutting back the income of current learners and undermining the health of teachers and students. Dr. Huong Le Thu further shared insights on how school and community facilities can form a network to help students recover from the challenges posed by Covid-19.

Then, Steven McCullough from the Communities in Schools addressed the issue of hunger among residents of Cook City and outlined strategies for establishing partnerships with community stakeholders to address this issue effectively. Jose Munoz from the Coalition for Community Schools shared his experiences in fostering partnerships between state and local governments, school districts, and communities in the United States.

Alena Zachery-Ross, PhD from Ypsilanti Community Schools introduced the background of Detroit residents and explained the reasons why Detroit schools serve as community centers. There are four key elements in developing schools as community center: establishing long-term relationships, aligning strategies with the local context, integrating the experiences of students and parents, and constructing connections with the community and families. She described Ypsilanti Community Schools as a practical example of a community center in Detroit.

On the other hand, Mike Jackson from the Australian Department of Education presented research data showing that schools can provide the necessary help and support needed by the local community. He emphasized that full-day schools can enhance social security and strengthen the connections between students and families. Therefore, schools serve as the starting point for connecting communities.

The event was then presumed by small group discussion where representatives of each member economy were provided opportunities to engage in intensive discussion and dialogue, providing fruitful advices and policy recommendations to each other.