27/07/2026
📢 𝗣𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗰𝘆 𝗗𝗶𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘂𝗲 𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 | 𝗘𝗺𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗡𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗧𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗟𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘆
In an era of rapidly evolving digital transformation and artificial intelligence, how can we strengthen mathematical literacy?
On 𝟭𝟲 𝗝𝘂𝗹𝘆 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲, 𝗦𝗘𝗔𝗠𝗘𝗢 𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗠-𝗘𝗗, in collaboration with the 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗶𝘁𝘂𝘁𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗔𝗱𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 (𝗡𝗜𝗗𝗔), convened the 𝗣𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗰𝘆 𝗗𝗶𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘂𝗲: 𝗘𝗺𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗡𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗧𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗟𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘆 in Bangkok, Thailand. The event brought together onsite and online participants, including policymakers, education leaders, researchers, teacher educators, development partners, universities, and education technology experts from across Southeast Asia and beyond.
In her opening remarks, 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗰 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗳 𝗗𝗿 𝗝𝘂𝗿𝗶 𝗩𝗶𝗷𝗶𝘁 𝗪𝗮𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗮𝗻, 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗡𝗜𝗗𝗔, emphasised that advancing mathematical literacy requires more than adopting new technologies. She highlighted the importance of evidence-informed policymaking, strong teacher support, equitable learning opportunities, and nurturing critical thinking and ethical values alongside mathematical competence.
The dialogue featured four thought-provoking sessions that explored mathematics education from multiple perspectives:
🔹 𝗦𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝟭: 𝗥𝗲𝗶𝗺𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗰𝘀 𝗘𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗕𝗲𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗿𝗲𝘀
𝗠𝗿 𝗟𝗶𝗺 𝗦𝗼𝗼𝗻 𝗝𝗶𝗻𝗻 and 𝗠𝘀 𝗟𝗲𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗣𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗶 𝗤𝘄𝗮𝗻 from 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗖𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝗘𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 highlighted the importance of moving beyond procedural fluency to develop reasoning, problem solving, creativity, communication, and mathematical thinking through purposeful Singaporean curriculum design and effective pedagogical practices.
🔹 𝗦𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝟮: 𝗛𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗔𝗜 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗔𝗻𝗮𝗹𝘆𝘁𝗶𝗰𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴
𝗠𝗿 𝗔𝘀𝗵𝘂𝘁𝗼𝘀𝗵 𝗦𝗵𝘂𝗸𝗹𝗮 (𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗼) and 𝗠𝘀 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗮𝘁 𝗖𝗵𝘂𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗼𝘁𝗲 (𝗡𝗮𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘂𝗮𝗻 𝗨𝗻𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘆) demonstrated how AI-powered assessment and learning analytics can help teachers identify learning gaps, personalise instruction, and support students' confidence, self-directed learning, and mathematical growth while ensuring technology remains aligned with curriculum and classroom needs.
🔹 𝗦𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝟯: 𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵 𝗧𝗼𝘂𝗰𝗵, 𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗰𝘀 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴
𝗠𝘀 𝗔𝗺𝘆 𝗕𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿 and 𝗠𝘀 𝗦𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗶𝘆𝗮 𝗟𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗸𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗶𝗻 from 𝗘𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗖𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿 (𝗘𝗗𝗖) presented evidence from implementation across Uruguay, Vietnam, Cambodia, and the Philippines, demonstrating how adaptive technology, combined with strong teacher practices, coaching, and data-informed instruction, can improve learning outcomes, particularly for students who need the greatest support.
🔹𝗦𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝟰: 𝗨𝗻𝗽𝗹𝘂𝗴𝗴𝗲𝗱 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝘂𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗰𝘀 𝗘𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻
Representatives from 𝗦𝗘𝗔𝗠𝗘𝗢 𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗠-𝗘𝗗, 𝗦𝗘𝗔𝗠𝗘𝗢 𝗤𝗜𝗧𝗘𝗣 𝗶𝗻 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗰𝘀, 𝗦𝗘𝗔𝗠𝗘𝗢 𝗦𝗘𝗔𝗠𝗢𝗟𝗘𝗖, and 𝗦𝗘𝗔𝗠𝗘𝗢 𝗥𝗘𝗖𝗦𝗔𝗠 showcased a collaborative regional initiative that integrates computational thinking into mathematics through unplugged, hands-on activities. The initiative demonstrated how contextualised learning, lesson study, and regional collaboration can strengthen mathematical reasoning, computational thinking, and STEM learning from the early grades.
Throughout the dialogue, the Q&A sessions reflected the high level of engagement among participants. Discussions explored important issues including scaling successful innovations, ensuring sustainability beyond pilot projects, strengthening teacher capacity, supporting both in-service and pre-service teacher development, and creating the policy conditions needed to translate promising evidence into systemic educational improvement.
Led by 𝗗𝗿 𝗞𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗿𝗮 𝗔𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗻𝘃𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘃𝗼𝗿𝗻, 𝗖𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗲 𝗗𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗦𝗘𝗔𝗠𝗘𝗢 𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗠-𝗘𝗗, the dialogue concluded with a productive exchange on future regional collaboration. Participants reaffirmed their shared commitment to advancing mathematical literacy across Southeast Asia, leveraging evidence-based innovation, strategic partnerships, and a dedicated pilot programme to drive meaningful change.
📖 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗹 𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗹𝗲 𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘄𝗲𝗯𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗲: https://www.seameo-stemed.org/news-and-events/policy-dialogue-mathematical-literacy/
🎥 𝗪𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗹 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴: https://youtube.com/live/mc5sP4wdfB4
