Angara to Asean member states: Equip learners with digital skills

The Department of Education (DepEd) Secretary Sonny Angara attends the 13th Asean Education Ministers Meeting in Buriram, Thailand on Monday, August 26, 2024. (Photo from Ministry of Education Thailand via DepEd Philippines/Facebook)

MANILA, Philippines — Digital transformation should be prioritized in the education sector to equip learners with digital skills, said the Department of Education (DepEd) Secretary Sonny Angara during an Asean (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) meeting on Monday.

According to a statement, Angara stressed that it was the duty of Asean member states to ensure that students are capable of contributing to the growth of their communities.

“We have a duty to ensure that our students are not merely passive recipients of knowledge but active citizens capable of shaping their futures and contributing to the growth of their communities and the entire Asean region,” the DepEd chief said at the 13th Asean Education Ministers Meeting in Buriram, Thailand.

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The ministers’ meeting on education this year underscored the report on the implementation of the Asean Work Plan on Education 2021-2025, the adoption of the Asean-Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (Asean-SEAMEO) Joint Declaration on Common Space in Southeast Asian Higher Education, and the updated Asean Plus Three Guidelines on Student Exchange and Mobility.

Meanwhile, Angara emphasized that technological advancements must only used to aid and support the educational growth of the students, not replace it.

“Yes, the future will be increasingly digital, but we must remember that education is still a human endeavor — technology is simply a tool to address real human challenges,” he added.

During the meeting, Angara also announced the launch of a digital transformation project under the SEAMEO Council Presidency’s Flagship Programs.

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