Exclusive: Anwar calls for new ASEAN approaches to deal with Myanmar crisis

13 Sept 14:00 Key points summarised by AI

Malaysian PM Anwar Ibrahim urges ASEAN to adopt new strategies for the Myanmar crisis, stating current approaches like "constructive engagement" and the "Five-Point Consensus" are ineffective.
Anwar emphasizes the crisis's regional impact, highlighting its effects on Malaysia (200,000 refugees) and Thailand, asserting it's no longer purely an internal Myanmar affair.
He plans to discuss more viable solutions with Indonesian President Joko Widodo, the current ASEAN chairman, to address the escalating violence.
Separately, Anwar reaffirmed Malaysia's commitment to assisting Thailand's peace process in its southern conflicts, while firmly condemning all forms of violence.

Examining Thailand’s four-part education revolution

Today 14:22 Key points summarised by AI

Thailand's Education Ministry is implementing a four-pronged strategy to address its students' below-average performance in PISA 2025 and tackle significant educational inequality.
The plan prioritizes closing performance gaps by increasing funding for small and low-income schools, overhauling the curriculum to foster critical thinking, and adopting a data-driven management system to reduce teacher workload.
Key initiatives include enhancing school safety, combating cyberbullying, and expanding mental health support through peer-to-peer networks, recognizing the severe impact of distress on academic performance.
An education expert advises verifying if PISA improvements stem from structural changes, advocating for a revived STEM curriculum with practical 'learn by doing' methods, and urging bureaucratic reform to link teacher evaluations to student development.