DOCUMENT RESUME ED 078 574 EA 005 249 TITLE Strategies for Curriculum Development in Southeast Asia. A Seminar. Final Report. INSTITUTION Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (Singapore). Regional Center for Education in Science and Mathematics. REPORT NO P5-SCMS-28 PUB DATE Mar 72 NOTE 216p.; Papers presented at SEAMEO Regional Center for Education in Science. and Mathematics Seminar (Glugor, Panang, Malaysia, March 14-20, 1972) EDRS PRICE MF-$0.65 HC-$9.87 DESCRIPTORS *Conference Reports; *Curriculum Design; *Curriculum Development; *Developing Nations; Educational Objectives; *Educational Planning; Educational Problems; Educational Strategies; Elementary School Science; Mathematics Curriculum; Programed Instruction; Science Curriculum; Systems Approach; Teacher Education IDENTIFIERS SEAMEO; *Southeast Asia; Southeast Asian Ministers Education Organisation ABSTRACT The main body of this document consists of papers that were presented at the seminar..The document also includes an outline of the seminar proceedings, a list of participants and staff members, a list of the organizing committee, and several reports of the findings and recommendations of the seminar working groups. Papers. presented by guest speakers and staff cover such topics as the problem of education in Southeast Asia, teacher education, areas of priority in curriculum development, programed instruction, a systems approach to curriculum development, educational goals, teaching science to children, the mathematics curriculum of the future, and curriculum development in the United Kindgom. Papers presented by the delegates to the convention deal with strategies for curriculum development in their respective home countries. These delegates represented Hong Kong, Indonesia, the Khmer Republic, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam..(Photographs may reproduce poorly.) pm PS/SCMS/28 SOUTHEAST ASIAN MINISTERS OF EDUCATION ORGANISATION SEMINAR STRATEGIES FOR CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT IN SOUTHEAST. ASIA Convened by SEAMEO REGIONAL CENTRE FOR EDUCATION IN SCIENCE AND MATHEMATICS with the co-operation cf the Government of Malaysia. Cr) C\Z FINAL REPORT U.S. OCPARTMENT OF HE.LTH, EDUCATION PWELFARE 0 NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION SEAMEO -RECSAM, THIS DOCUMENT HAS BEEN REPRO DUCED EXACTLY AS RECEIVED FROM r,r4 GLUGOR, PENANG, THE PERSON OR ORGANIZATION ORIGIN ATING IT POINTS Or VIEW OR OPINIONS STATED DO NOT NECESSARILY REPRE MALAYSIA. SENT OFFICIAL NATIONAL INSTITUTE GI' 14th-20th March, 1972. EDUCATION POSITION OR POLICY -T3 -rm.,. el% rs r TABLE OF CONTENTS PROCEEDINGS OPENING CEREMONY - I PLENARY SESSIONS :- IV Election of Chairman. Vice-Chairman and Rapporteur- General - - 2 Adoption of Seminar Programme 2 PresentationofPapers by Guest Speakers/RECSAM Staff - - - - - 2 Presentation of Country Papers by Delegates- 6 Presentation of Paper by Representative, Department of Education. Hong Kong - 8 Overview of Scope of Working Groups - 8 SEMINAR WORKING GROUP SESSIONS 9 PLENARY SESSIONS VI - VII - 9 RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE SEMINAR- 10 WELCOMING ADDRESS BY THE DIRECTOR OF RECSAM, MR. CHIN PIN SENG - - 17 OPENING ADDRESS BY CHAIRMAN OF GOVERNING BOARD, RECSAM, MR. ISHAK BIN HAJI PATEH AKHIR - 20 AN OVERVIEW - 23 REPORT OF THE FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF WORKING GROUP I - 35 REPORT OF THE FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF WORKING GROUP 11- 41 CLOSING ADDRESS BY THE DIRECTOR OF RECSAM, MR. CHIN PIN SENG - 45 LIST OF PARTICIPANTS 47 ORGANISING COMMITTEE 50 RECSAM STAFF - 51 PAPERS :By Guest Speakers,- 52 RECSAM Staff Delegates. PROCEEDINGS I.OPENING CEREMONY The Seminar for Senior NationalAdministrators, organized by the SEAMEO-Regional Centre for Education in Science and Mathematics was held at the Convention Hall of Hotel Merlin from 14th to'20th March, 1972. The theme for this Seminar is "Strategies for Curriculum Development in Southeast Asia." More than thirty participants took part in this Seminar.Participants comprised delegates from all SEAMEO member countries, guest speakers from educational institutions in SEAMEO countries and from CEDO. United Kingdom, and a representative from the Department of Education, Hong Kong, as well as the professional stair of RECSAM. The Seminar was declared open by the Chairman of the Governing Board of RECSAM, Mr. Ishak bin Haji Pateh Akhir J.M.N., who, is also the Deputy Secretary-General of the Ministry of Education, Malaysia. The Welcoming Address by'the Director of RECSAM, Mr. Chin Pin Seng, and the Opening Address by the Chairman of the Governing Board of RECSAM appear as Appendices I and II respectively. IL PLENARY SESSIONS I-V 1.Election of Chairman. Vice-Chairman and Rapporteur-General Chairman : Mr. Tan Teik Ben& Delegate from Malaysia Proposer : Mr. Lim Chin Chee, Delegate from Singapore Seconder : Mr. Domingo Soriano.Delegatefromthe Philippines Vice-Chairman : Dr. DomingoSoriano. Delegatefrom the Philippines Proposer : Mr. Tan Teik Beng, Delegate from Malaysia Seconder : Dr. Setijadi, Delegate from Indonesia Rapporteur-General :Mr. Lim Chin Chee., Delegate from Singapoic Proposer : Dr. Setijadi. Delegate from Indonesia Seconder : Mr. Phouangphanh Sananikone. Delegate from Laos 2.Adoption of Seminar Programme 2.1 Dr.Domingo SorianoofthePhilippinesproposedthatthe programmefortheSeminar be adopted.Hisproposalwas seconded by Mr. P.Sananikone ofLaos andthe Seminar programme was adopted without amendment. 3.Presentation of Papers by Guest -Speakers/RECSAM Staff 3.1 Paper entitled " Action and Reaction 3.1.1The paper entitled 'Action and Reaction' was presented by Mr. A. S. Everest.Mr. Everest suggested that the problems of education in S.E. Asia were very pressing and accordingly urged speed and simplicity in implementing educational re- forms which should be based on a realistic assessment of the available resources and relevant administrative problems. 3.1.2Views expressed during the discussion indicated that one of the main difficulties which confronted SEAMEO countries intheimplementationofeducationalreforms was the scarcityofresources.Anotherdifficulty wasthegreat importance attached to pupils' performance in examinations. especially the public examinations. 2 3.2Paper entitledA Second Look at Teacher Education and School Curriculum Reforms 3.2.1The paper entitledA Second Look at Teacher Education and School Curriculum Reforms' was presented by Mr. Chin Pin Seng.It was noted that whilst UNESCO and otherinternationalagencies,includingtheSEAMEO. Regional Centre for Educaton in Science and Mathematics (RECSAM), had been raying a significant role in as'7isting these SEAMEO countries to attain a breakthrough in the reformofmathemat4:s andscienceeducation.teacher- education development had not caught up with the pace of school curricuitfin development.Mr. Chin suggested that teacher educationinstitutions should concentrate on the specific job of training teachers to teach effectively, make learning relevant to the children, and prepare them to face the challenges of the future and at the same time involve themselves as Much as possible with the curriculum reform projects carried out at various school levels by agencies in their own countries. 322 During the discussion, it was suggested that teachers should be encouraged to innovate for the improvement of-education. Sabbatical leave should be granted to innovative and talented teachers in order to enable such teachers to update them- selves with the latest teaching methods. On their return, such teachers should, as far as possible, be required to train other teachers so that the knowledge they gained during their sabbatical leave might-be put to the maximum use. 3.3Paper entitled" Does the Systems Approach Really Work in Curriculum Development?" 3.3.1Mr. Lam Kok Non presented the paper entitled' Does the Systems Approach Really Work in Curriculum Develop- ment? 'The main properties of the Systems Approach are a loop-of systematic steps and questions whereby a decision- maker can use a guide to develop his thoughts and ideas logically so that he can visualise the situation and come to a decision that is not only comprehensive and effective, but that it will also be the basis for which he could re-evaluate and re-constructit tofit the change in time, place and circumstance.As to whether the Systems Approach would wark in curriculum development, this would depend on many aspects; some of which being how, which, why, by whom anu where it would be used. 3 3.4Paper entitled "A New Look at Educational 011jectives inSouth East Asia 3.4.1 The paper entitled A New Look at Educational Objectives inSouth East Asiawas presented by Dr. Eleanor T. Elequin.Dr.Elequinindicatedthataccordingtothe findings of a Philippines Case Study. educational goals. aims and objectives were based on and derived from explicit and implicit national goals. 3.5 Paper entitled "Mathematics Curricula in 1990 33.1 Professor Lee Peng Yee who presented hispaper entitled Mathematics Curriculain1990', was of the view that mathematics should be regarded as an exeprimental science. He favoured theintroduction of more logicalreasoning in the mathematics curriculum.The introduction of new syllabus for modern mathematics should be considered in close relation with all relevant factors such as the training of teachers, the nature and scope of examination. as well as the availability of suitable textbooks. 3.6 Paper entitled "Areas of Priority in Curriculum Development" 3.6.1 The paperentitled 'AreasofPriorityinCurriculum Development was presented by Dr. Fatimah bt. Hamid Don. Dr.