Bandung, Indonesia, 30 July 2026- SEAMEO Centre for Early Childhood Care Education and Parenting (SEAMEO CECCEP) welcomed a delegation from the Government of Palembang City to explore strategic collaboration in strengthening Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) and family education.
The delegation was led by Dewi Sastrani Ratu Dewa, Chairperson of the Family Welfare Movement (TP PKK) and Bunda PAUD of Palembang City, accompanied by Ir. M. Affan Prapanca, S.T., M.T., IPM, Head of the Palembang City Education Office; H. Tajuddin Idris, S.Si., M.T., Head of the Center for Education Quality Assurance (BPMP) of South Sumatra Province; and members of the Palembang City Bunda PAUD Team.
Opening the meeting, Prof. Vina Adriany, Centre Director of SEAMEO CECCEP, welcomed the delegation and expressed her appreciation for the Palembang City Government's commitment to advancing early childhood education. She emphasized that quality ECCE is a shared responsibility that requires strong partnerships among governments, education institutions, communities, and families.
Prof. Vina highlighted that investing in early childhood education is an investment in the future. Research consistently demonstrates that quality ECCE contributes to children's school readiness, literacy and numeracy development, socio-emotional well-being, and long-term educational success. She also reaffirmed SEAMEO CECCEP's commitment to supporting local governments through research, policy advocacy, capacity building, and knowledge sharing to improve ECCE services across Southeast Asia.
In her remarks, Dewi Sastrani Ratu Dewa expressed her gratitude for the warm welcome extended by SEAMEO CECCEP and emphasized that her role as Bunda PAUD or Lady Ambassador is a commitment to ensuring every child has access to quality early childhood education.
She noted that early childhood education is the foundation of lifelong learning, where children begin developing their social, emotional, and cognitive competencies while preparing for a smooth transition to primary education. She also underlined the importance of collaboration among teachers, parents, local governments, and stakeholders in creating a supportive ecosystem for young children's development.
Meanwhile, H. Tajuddin Idris emphasized BPMP's commitment to strengthening education quality across all levels, including ECCE. He explained that collaborative advocacy involving government institutions, education providers, and communities has proven more effective in improving learning quality than isolated efforts.
He further highlighted that early childhood education should be viewed as a long-term investment rather than an expenditure. According to him, quality ECCE not only improves children's readiness for school but also contributes to social mobility, educational equity, and national development. He encouraged local governments to continue strengthening support for ECCE through policies, infrastructure development, and cross-sector collaboration.
The meeting also explored opportunities for collaboration in teacher professional development, family education initiatives, quality improvement of ECCE services, documentation of innovative practices, and policy support to expand equitable access to quality early childhood education in Palembang.
The visit concluded with a shared commitment between SEAMEO CECCEP and the Government of Palembang City to strengthen collaboration in promoting quality, inclusive, and sustainable early childhood care and education, ensuring that every child has the opportunity to learn, grow, and thrive.
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