On February 23, Dr Ibtisam Abu-Duhou, UNESCO Senior Advisor (Bangkok) graciously presided over the opening ceremony of the learning course at MI, while Dr Suchat Katima, the MI Director, delivered the welcome remarks. Twenty participants from the six Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) nations attended the two-week training course, which was co-organized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Bangkok Asia and Pacific; Regional Bureau of Education (Education Policy Reform Unit), Thailand; New Zealands International Aid & Development Agency (NZAID); and MI. 

The course titled, “Training of Trainers from the Greater Mekong Subregion on Decentralized Education Planning in the Context of Public Sector Management Reform,” is running from February 23- March 6, 2009 in Khon Kaen, Thailand. 

The course focuses on the modernization of education sector management. It also introduces planning approaches and to familiarize course participants from GMS countries with planning tools to upgrade their professional and technical know-how. 

In addition, the course provides an opportunity to introduce cross-cutting themes such as Gender in Education, Inclusive Education and Rights-Based Education. It supports the GMS countries in their efforts to ensure Education for All (EFA) goals and targets can be achieved by 2015, and promotes regional exchange and cooperation.