As part of his participation in the annual ASEAN Education Ministers Meeting, Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), held a bilateral meeting with H.E Dr. Fadhlina Sidek, Malaysia’s Minister of Education. The meeting focused on exploring ways to enhance cooperation between the two sides in the fields of education, innovation, and heritage preservation.

Her Excellency the Minister presented key initiatives of the Malaysian Ministry of Education, which have made the country’s education system a comprehensive model for achieving the fourth Sustainable Development Goal (SDG 4). She noted that education in Malaysia is guided by a holistic vision that values quality, equity, and sustainability.

For his part, Dr. AlMalik commended Malaysia’s educational experience and stressed the importance of strengthening international partnerships to achieve inclusive education for all. He also highlighted ICESCO’s initiatives in this regard, including its ongoing cooperation with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in support of the international PISA assessments.

Dr. AlMalik invited Dr. Sidek to participate in the third Ministerial Conference on PISA, which will be organized by ICESCO in Samarkand in November 2025, and is considered an important platform for exchanging expertise and encouraging educational policy reform in Member States.

The meeting also touched on the Greening Education initiative, launched by ICESCO in collaboration with the University of Cambridge, which aims to develop long-term strategic visions in the field of education. Dr. AlMalik also underscored the importance of integrating values of peace into school curricula and embedding them into the educational policies of Member States.

The two sides also discussed the issue of girls’ education in Afghanistan. Dr. AlMalik stressed the need for Member States to stand in solidarity and support ICESCO’s efforts to ensure Afghan girls’ right to education, affirming that this is a humanitarian and moral obligation that requires concrete cooperation from all.

At the conclusion of the meeting, Dr. AlMalik extended a formal invitation to the Malaysian Minister of Education to visit ICESCO’s headquarters in Rabat and learn more about the Organization’s projects in the fields of education, science, and culture. He also expressed his deep appreciation for her kind invitation to participate in the annual ASEAN Education Ministers Meeting.