In a significant move to enhance educational collaboration, the Philippine Department of Education (DepEd) has intensified its partnership with Malaysia. On January 21, 2025, Education Secretary Sonny Angara convened with Malaysian Ambassador Dato’ Abdul Malik Melvin Castelino in Makati City to discuss expanding educational opportunities and exploring scholarship programs for Filipino students. This meeting, highlighted by DepEd on January 22, 2025, underscores a commitment to not only benefit Filipino learners but also to contribute to the wider Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) community. Angara emphasized Malaysia’s role as a crucial partner in education, aiming to leverage their shared history to empower learners and communities. The discussions pinpointed Malaysian scholarships as a vital avenue for increasing access to higher education for Filipinos, promoting regional cooperation, sustainable peace, and economic growth. The agenda also included enhancing the Philippines’ Madrasah Education Program and the Arabic Language and Islamic Values Education (ALIVE) program in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM). Additionally, the meeting touched on bolstering workforce development through Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), following commitments made by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Dr. Ahmad Zahid Bin Hamidi in October 2024. Angara also showed interest in revisiting the 2014 Memorandum of Understanding on Education Cooperation, renewed in 2019, to align with new priorities, including industry-focused initiatives like the development of the halal sector and strengthening regional collaboration.
Philippines and Malaysia Deepen Educational Ties, Eye Scholarships
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