The second conference of senior officials of the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organisation (SEAMEO) on integration in education opened in the central city of Da Nang on October 18.

The conference, themed “Sharing experience in developing integrated education in Southeast Asian nations”, has drawn the participation of nearly 100 educational senior officials from SEAMEO member countries and partners as well as representatives from international organisations.

Participants discussed the present situation of integrated education for disadvantaged children in each country and shared experience in implementing integrated educational models, as well as suggesting pathways for cooperation in this field.

Speaking at the conference, Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Vinh Hien affirmed that integrated education for disadvantaged children is not only a basic issue but also a big challenge for the educational sector of Southeast Asian countries.

He said that Vietnam has actively joined and implemented international commitments such as signing the 1990 UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), made a commitment to expanding educational opportunities for all at the Dakar-Senegal forum in 2000 and for building the “National Action Plan on Education for All” for the 2003-2015 period.

In future, the country will continue implementing international commitments to realising education for all, Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and child rights, with priority given to education for the disabled and universal pre-school access for children under five.

During the three-day conference, delegates will visit Da Nang Integrated Education Centre, and Nguyen Dinh Chieu and Tuong Lai (Future) Special Schools in the city./.