(From L-R) Prof. Naeem Yaqoob, CPSC Faculty Specialist; Dr. Kesavan Ulaganathen, CPSC Governing Board-Engaged Faculty Consultant; Prof. Dr. Suresh Kumar Dhameja, CPSC Director General; Asec. Georgina Ann H. Yang, Assistant Secretary, DepEd External Partnerships Service; Ms. Maribeth S. Chua, Project Development Officer III, DepEd External Partnerships Service; Ms. Kriselle Jeannica Palen, Executive Assistant, DepEd External Partnerships Service; and Ms. Arlene Cruz, CPSC Executive Secretary.

On February 18, 2025, the Colombo Plan Staff College (CPSC) welcomed the visit of the External Partnerships Service (International and Government Cooperation), Department of Education (DepED), Philippines.

Assistant Secretary Georgina Ann H. Yang led the DepEd External Partnerships Service team composed of Ms. Maribeth S. Chua, Project Development Officer Ill; and Ms. Kriselle Jeannica Palen, Executive Assistant.

The meeting was inaugurated by Prof. Dr. Suresh Kumar Dhameja, CPSC Director General, as he welcomed the DepEd team with opening remarks and provided them with brief information about CPSC. This was followed by a welcome address from Asec. Yang, who expressed her gratitude for the hospitality and mentioned DepEd’s commitment to fostering partnership with CPSC

The CPSC and DepEd teams sit together in a meeting

Furthermore, Dr. Kesavan presented the recently implemented training programs and shared the functions of Asia Pacific Accreditation and Certification Commission (APACC) as an accreditation arm of CPSC. He also encouraged the Department to engage with CPSC through research collaborations and participation in international webinars. Meanwhile, Prof. Naeem briefed them on the Projects and Consultancy services such as conducting Customized Programs, Study Visits, and Consultancy Projects.

Following the presentations, an open forum session was facilitated for CPSC and DepEd to discuss mutual interests and possible areas of cooperation. Discussions centered on the possibility of conducting international conferences, and collaborative programs with SEAMEO INNOTECH. They further discussed developing a standardized TVET curriculum and aligning national qualification frameworks, particularly the K-12 Basic Education Curriculum, with regional and global qualification frameworks. CPSC and DepEd will also explore collaborating with Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) on the development of micro-credentials for agricultural technology.

To conclude the meeting, Prof. Dr. Dhameja presented tokens of appreciation to the DepEd representatives and commemorated the visit with a group photo.

Prof. Dr. Dhameja hands over tokens of appreciation to DepEd representatives