Canada Lecture/Study Tour :From West to East

My trip to Canada took all 24 days, from October 10 to November 2. The following
institutions as outlined below give the reader an idea of the breadth and scope of my visits and
meetings with various people who acted as hosts during my visits. In the list below, I have
identified with an asterisk those institutions hosts with whom I had the most meaningful and
engaging discussions:

No Institutions visits Date People Met Activities & Focus of

. Discussion
1 Department of Foreign Tue 14 Mr. Richard Martin Lunch with Mr.
Trade and International October, Head, International Richard Martin
Trade(DFAIT) 2003(a.m.) Relations Policy
2 Centre for Research on 3:00-4:00 pm Dr. Aubry General Discussion
Community Services
3 Faculty of Social Sciences 4:00-5:00 pm Dr. Flynn Discussion on his
Ottawa Vivien Runnels work “Looking after
Coordinator Children” National
and Ontario Project.
4 Carleton University Wed.15Oct.0 Ms. Christine Marland Free day
Ottawa, Ontario 3
5 Canadian International Thu. 16 Ellis Westwood
Development Agency Oct.03 Consultant Health
(CIDA) Advisor,CIDA
Fri.17 Oct.03 Ellis Westwood Presentation at CIDA
11:45 am Room 876
 Report of 2002 SEAMEO-JASPER FELLOWSHIP AWARDEE

In the report, I describe the rational and objectives of my 2002 SEAMEO-Jasper

lecture/study tour in selected South-East Asian countries (i.e ,Malaysia ,Indonesia, and The
Philippines) and Canada. With “Children Right to Education” as the Year’s Theme, this
report also documents my visits to the various institutions , meetings with key people, as well
as the lessons learned and insights I gained in the process of travel. Recommendations are
given at the end of the report.

Rational and Objectives

To increase mutual understanding and co-operation efforts between the people of Canada
and Southeast Asia remain to be the raison deter of this fellowship. As such, the specific
(1) To visit academe-based Centers on Children Right to Education in various parts of
Canada and learn about their previous and ongoing research programs and other
activities;
(2) To meet with key people from the academe, Government Organization(GO), NGOs,
and children themselves who are engaged in the discussion of children right issues
germane to Canada and Southeast Asia;
(3) To visit SEAMEO regional centers and gain insights on the activities of these
institutions in promoting human resource development in the areas of art, science,
and culture in the Southeast Asian region.
(4) To share and disseminate the results of my research output(A Study on Child Labor
in Deep-sea Fishing and Fish-sorting Industries in Pattani Province, Thailand) with
Canadian sociologists, as well as with SEA scholars of children right.

Canada Lecture/Study Tour: From East to West

My trip to Canada took all of 24 days, from October 10 to Nover2. The following
institutions as outlines below give the reader an idea of breadth and scope of my visits and
meetings with various people who acted as hosts during my visit. In the list below, I have
identified with asterisk those institutions and hosts with whom I had the most meaningful
and engaging discussions.

• Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade

•Head International Academic Relation Division(Mr. Richard Martin)*

• University of Ottawa
• Center for Research on Community Services(Dr. Tim Aubry, Director)
• Faculty of Social Sciences (Dr. Flynn, Associate Dean)*

• Carleton University

• Dunton Tower 2203 (Prof. Bill Skidmore & Prof. Chitra Sekhar)
• Department of Sociology(Dr. Charles Gordon, Chair and Dr. Elliot Tapper)
• Department of Law (Prof. Obijiofor Aginan)
• Asian Affairs (Chair Namue Lee, Associated Research Group)

• Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA)

(Ellis Westwood, Consultant. Health Adviser, Dr. Anwar Islam Principal Advisor )*

•University of Toronto
• International Programs Development Office( Assistant, Ms. Lean Mutrie )*
• Department of Geography(Prof. Dr. Amrita G. Daniere, Director of Planning)*
• Institute of Child Study (Prof. Richard Volpe)
 • Munk Center At Trinity College /Asian Institute (Prof. Dr. Patricia L. McCarney,
Senior Advisor, International Programs Development)
• International Student Centre (Dr. Jeffery Trapp, Program Coordinator)
• Planning and Geography (Dr. Sue Ruddick)
• Centre for Urban and Community Studies (Dr. Matha Friendly , Childcare
Resources Expert)
• Comparative International and Development Education Centre (CIDEC)

• York University
• York Centre for Asian Research (Prof. Judith A. Nagata, Associate Director, Peter
Vandergeest, Director)*

• Brock University St. Catharine, Ontario, Ca.

• Brock International (Dr. David T. Brown, Director, Ms. Sheila Young , Assistant
Director)*
• Department of Child and Youth Studies (Prof. Dr. Tom O’Neill, Chair)

• University of Calgary, Alberta, Ca.

• Office of International Relations (Joan Morgan, Events Coordinator)*
• Faculty of Humanities (Prof. Dr. Leslie Kawamura)
• Faculty of Education (Prof. Dr. J. Tim Goddard, Associate Dean Research and
International)
• Faculty of Social Sciences (Prof. Dr. Bruce L. Arnold)

Lecture/study tour of selected Southeast Asian countries

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

 • Ministry of Human Resource
• Department of Labor (Dato’ Ismail bin Hj. Abdul Rahim, Director General of
Labor/ Dr. Goh Seng Wing, Director of Labor)*

• University Kabangsaan Malaysia (UKM.)

• Department of Foundation ( Dr.Norzaini Azman)

• Ministry of Education Malaysia

• Relations Division (Ms. Bidayah Bt. Harun, Senior Executive Officer)*
• Educational Planning & Research Division (Dr. Soon Seng Thah, Assistant
Director)*
• Ministry of Fishery

Jakata, Indonesia
• SEAMEO BIOTROP( Dr. Ir. Handoko , Director)*
• SEAMEO TROPMED (Dr. Widjaya Lukito,Deputy Director for Research)*
• SEAMEO SEAMOLEC (Prof. Dr. Soekartawi, )
• Ministry of National Education(Dr. Suwarsih Madya, Bureau for International and
Publication)
• Ministry of Justice and Human Rights ( Ir. Bresman Sianipar, Centre for Civil and
Political Rights Studies)
• Department of Marine Affairs and Fisheries( Dr. Ir. Indroyono Soesilo, Chairman)

Manila, Philippines
• SEAMEO INNOTECH (Ms. Grace M. Caudro, Administrative Officer)*
• Department of Education (H.E. Edilberto C. De Jesus, SEAMEO Council President)
 • Department of Social Welfare and Development(Ms. Lourdes G. Balanon,
Undersecretary in-charge Policy and Programs)
• SEAMEO TROPMED
• UNICEF(Ma. Victoria C. Juat)
• SEAMEO SEACA

Observations
My observations focus on three (3) key points
1. I view the different Centres on Child Care established throughout different academic
institutions in Canada as concrete response to Canadian population child Care and its may
attendant problems;
2. As evidenced by the various programs and activities carried out by the different institutions
,organizations, network partners and community groups , there is continuing interdisciplinary
efforts to seek and apply innovative solutions to the social problem on Children Rights in
Canada today.
3. There is varying degree of awareness among governments in Southeast Asia regarding
the concern of children rights, as reflected in the variability of existing social policies
addressing this issue.

Lessons learned, insights gained

1. Poverty/low income of the families causes of child labor and child rights problems.
2. Communities and families must pool all resources to solve the poverty problem.
3. Social policy must embody and sustain this view early in a nation’s life in order to avoid
children rights as a social problem in the future.
4. The Thai government in particular is moving in the right direction towards this noble
goal through its Constitution of the Kingdom of Thailand 1997 section 43 “A person
shall enjoy an equal right to receive the fundamental education for the duration of not
 less than twelve years which shall be provided by the State thoroughly, up to the
quality and without charge…” Malaysia, Indonesia and The Philippines are equally
resolute in bringing about children right to education issues

Impact of lecture/study tour

This trip has been given a great opportunity for me to actively participate in the
discussion of issues that relate to the uplift of the quality of life for poor/low income children,
Whether they be Canadians or Thais , or Southeast Asians, in general. I have a better
appreciation and understanding of the complex issues that continually challenge our societal
institutions, and the valuable interdisciplinary contributions we have made to response to these
challenges. We must continue the dialogue (between Canada and SEA, between and among the
SEA nations too) and learn from each other’s experiences so that Children right ton education
phenomenon becomes substantively integrated in our view of global human velopment.

RECOMMENDATIONS

On the selection of the annual SEAMEO awardees:

1. Institutionalize the participation of SEAMEO-Jasper awardees in formulating a

meaningful lecture/study tour program( both Canada and SEA) through the following
procedures:
(a) Screening of entries research come up with short list of 3-5 candidates
(b) Require the short-listed candidates to develop a program . Submit this to
SEAMEO selection committee 2 weeks prior to awardees selection meeting.
(c) The selected awardees , SEAMEO/CIDA contact staff must involve the
awardees in the whole process of developing and refining the tentative
program, as submitted earlier by the awardees .
The above process ensures that the formulated program becomes most meaningful and
valuable to the awardees’ field of interest and expertise.
2. The Selection Committee must require a full curriculum vitae for all applicants.

On program timing and awardees preparation

1. The tour schedule must be planned with awardees.

2. New awardees should learn from the previous awardees experiences.

On visits to SEAMEO regional centers

1. A combination of orientation and presentation would best benefit to the various

SEAMEO regional centers.
2. All the Center Directors did a very good job in hosting and formulating a relevant and
meaningful program for me during my visit to respective institutions.
3. Retain Dr. Nora Quetolio(Program Officer , Development) as coordinator of the
awardees Program of activities . She formulated me is the most productive and fruitful
in terms of research presentation preparing.

(Dr. Marut Damcha-om)

Jasper Research Awardee 2002
December 15,2003