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Speech by Minister for Education Mr Desmond Lee at the 14th ASEAN Education Ministers Meeting and Related Meetings Opening Ceremony

Published on: 22 Jul 2026

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Excellencies, Education Ministers of the ASEAN Member States.

His Excellency San Lwin,

Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN for the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community,

Distinguished Delegates,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

1. Good morning, and a very warm welcome to Singapore. It is my honour to host you for the 14th ASEAN Education Ministers Meeting and Related Meetings.

2. 20 years ago, our predecessors gathered in Singapore for the very first ASEAN Education Ministers Meeting. They affirmed the vital role that education plays in building regional identity, and in fostering greater inter-cultural, inter-religious and inter-racial understanding across our societies.

3. Two decades on, much has changed. Yet education has become more important, not less. This is why our theme this year is "Strengthening ASEAN through Education".

Strengthening ASEAN through Education – Three Focus Areas

4. ASEAN's strength lies in our people, and in the ties that bind us. We are home to nearly 700 million people across 11 countries, each with our own histories, languages and cultures.

5. Education develops our people and strengthens these ties. This is important as we navigate shifting geopolitics, economic transformation and rapid technological change — especially Artificial Intelligence, or AI.

6. These forces require our education systems to keep evolving. We must ask: What is at the heart of learning? What knowledge, skills and values matter most? How can technology help us do better — and what must remain deeply human?

7. I propose that we focus on three areas that will shape our education systems in the years ahead.

  1. First, AI in Education. Technology is already transforming how we live, work, and learn. It offers significant opportunities but also poses real concerns — including the outsourcing of thinking to technology. We cannot wait for AI's impact to fully unfold before we adapt our curricula, pedagogy, and assessment approaches.
  2. Second, STEM — Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. Strong STEM education will help our people adapt to technological change, drive innovation, and seize new opportunities in the future economy. STEM is important alongside the Humanties.
  3. Third, holistic development. As AI becomes more pervasive, character, empathy, wisdom and sound judgement will matter even more. Holistic development is a fundamental purpose of education across ASEAN, and will help our societies remain cohesive amid rapid change.

8. Singapore will organise signature programmes in these focus areas, so that we can advance these shared priorities together, and enable our teachers and students to learn from one another.

  1. Our students will come together for the ASEAN Plus Three STEM Camp and ASEAN Student Adventure Camp here in Singapore. They will be challenged intellectually and physically in these camps. More importantly, we hope they will build lasting friendships as they learn and grow together.
  2. For our educators, we will convene the ASEAN Values Education Network for Unity and Engagement, or AVENUE, to strengthen holistic education. Led by the Singapore Centre for Character and Citizenship Education at our National Institute of Education, AVENUE will bring ministry officials together to share how values education is designed and practised across our curricula in ASEAN.

ASEAN Five-Year Work Plan on Education 2026 to 2030

9. This work of "Strengthening ASEAN through Education" builds on the strong foundations we have laid together.

10. Earlier this year, the Philippines brought us together through the ASEAN Declaration on Foundational Learning. The Declaration underscores the importance of literacy, numeracy and socio-emotional skills, and commits us to invest in teachers and systems, use data and technology to close learning gaps, and better support the most disadvantaged.

  1. I thank the Philippines for its leadership as ASEAN Chair, and look forward to working with Member States to build on this foundation.

11. Today, we will launch the ASEAN Five-Year Work Plan on Education 2026 to 2030.

  1. The Work Plan reflects our shared commitment to education systems that remain responsive to global and technological developments, while promoting equitable access to quality education, supporting student well-being, and strengthening regional ties.
  2. I thank Thailand for starting this vital work as the previous Education Chair, and all Member States for shaping it together.

Conclusion

12. To conclude, let me return to what our Education Ministers had in mind when they first gathered here 20 years ago. Education is not only how each of our countries moves forward. It is also how we strengthen our common ties and build ASEAN's shared future.

13. Through the ASEAN Five-Year Work Plan on Education, and our focus on AI in Education, STEM and holistic development, we are taking practical steps to prepare our people for the future, while strengthening the bonds between us.

14. Singapore will do our best to build on the foundation laid by past Chairs and advance our shared aspirations for ASEAN education. Together, let us invest in our people, nurture our shared values, and keep learning from one another — so that ASEAN remains resilient, cohesive and forward-looking for generations to come.

15. I look forward to our discussions over the next two days. Thank you.