The SEA Teacher Program, officially known as the Pre-Service Student Teacher Exchange in Southeast Asia, is a regional educational exchange program organized by SEAMEO (Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization). This program gives opportunities for pre-service student teachers from Southeast Asian countries to join an international teaching practicum in another SEAMEO Member Country.

The SEA Teacher Program is developed based on SEAMEO’s seven priority areas, which are designed to improve the quality of education in Southeast Asia. One of the priority areas is Revitalizing Teacher Education, which focuses on strengthening teacher education and improving the teaching competencies of future teachers in the region. Therefore, the SEA Teacher Program plays an important role in supporting teacher development through real teaching experience in a cross-cultural environment.

In this program, selected student teachers are placed in schools in neighboring Southeast Asian countries. They teach subjects that match their academic majors. The program is preferably designed for fourth-year students, especially those majoring in Mathematics, Science, English, and Preschool/Early Childhood Education. These fields are prioritized because they are considered important in improving educational quality and learning outcomes in Southeast Asia.

The SEA Teacher Program usually lasts for one month. The implementation of the program is based on a cost-sharing mechanism, meaning that the costs are shared between the student teachers and the participating institutions, including the sending university and the host university. This system helps make the program possible and supports cooperation among institutions in different countries.

During the one-month practicum period, student teachers are given weekly roles and responsibilities. In the first stage, student teachers usually start with classroom observation, where they observe teaching methods, classroom management, and learning activities. In the next stage, they assist in teaching by helping the mentor teacher in classroom activities, preparing materials, and supporting students. After that, student teachers conduct teaching practice, where they plan lessons and teach in the classroom. At the end of the program, student teachers are required to do reflection activities, such as writing reflective journals and evaluating their teaching performance to improve their professional skills.

In addition, host universities provide mentors to guide and supervise the student teachers throughout the practicum period. The mentors monitor the students’ progress, provide feedback, and support them in adapting to the school environment and the local culture. Through this mentoring process, student teachers can gain more confidence and develop their teaching competence in an international context.

Overall, the SEA Teacher Program is expected to help student teachers improve their teaching skills, gain international experience, and develop cross-cultural understanding. The program also aims to strengthen educational cooperation and partnerships among Southeast Asian countries, especially in the field of teacher education.