96th GBM Members and Representatives: Mr. Taimur Zulfiqar, Head of Chancery, Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan; Mrs. H.M.G.R.R.K.W. Mendis, Charge d’ Affaires, a.i., Embassy of Sri Lanka; H.E. Maj. Gen. John Gomes, PSC (Retd.), Ambassador of People’s Republic of Bangladesh; H.E. Chris Vihruri, Ambassador of Papua New Guinea & GB Chairman; Dr. Mohammad Naim Yaakub, CPSC Director General and GB Member Secretary; H.E. Hirubalan V.P., Ambassador of Singapore; H.E. L.D. Ralte, Ambassador of the Republic of India; and Dr. Htuann Naung, First Secretary & Consul, Embassy of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar. (Not in photo) Atty. Teodoro Pascua, Deputy Director General for Field Operations, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA)

The Colombo Plan Staff College (CPSC) GB convened its 96th session on January 29, 2014 at the CPSC Headquarters in Manila, Philippines. The Board took up seven agenda which included Actions Taken since Last GB Meeting, Mid - Year Report for July to December 2013, Report of External Audit of CPSC’s Financial Statements for Fiscal Year 2012 – 2013, Report of the Working Group Committee on Updating CPSC’s Memorandum of Agreement with the Government of the Philippines, and service extension of the Director General.

Apart from the above, the inauguration of two new online systems developed in-house which are: the Blended Learning Management System (LMS) titled OnCOURSE and the online journal system (OJS) for the first ever journal of CPSC titled STEPS (Scholarly Technical Education Publication Series) was held through a video presentation.


Inauguration of OnCOURSE and OJS by the GB Chairman

The meeting was presided by H.E. Chris Vihruri, Chairman of the CPSC GB and Ambassador of Papua New Guinea and co-chaired by Atty. Teodoro Pascua, Deputy Director for Field Operations of TESDA.

The meeting was also attended by the Member for the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, Member for the Republic of India, Member for the Republic of Singapore, Member for Sri Lanka, Director-General of CPSC, and Representatives from the Republic of the Union of Myanmar and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.


Atty. Teodoro Pascua, H.E. Chris Vihruri, and Dr. Mohammad Naim Yaakub before the start of the meeting

The CPSC Director General reported the progress made by CPSC for the period July 1 to December 31, 2013 where he emphasized the conduct of regional programs, in-country programs, customized programs, Skills Development for Poverty Alleviation special in country programs, International/National Seminars, and the Asia Pacific Accreditation and Certification Commission (APACC) accreditation activities.

Halfway to the fiscal period, CPSC had already convened and provided capacity building support to a total of 1,666 from all over CPSC member countries. The total number of participants is the highest, so far, among all midyear reports, which was lauded by the Board. Collaboration with partners and supporters like Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Thailand’s Office of the Vocational Education Commission (OVEC) and Rajamangala University of Technology Thanyaburi (RMUTT), Toyota Motor Philippines Foundation (TMPF), UNESCO-UNEVOC were also rekindled this period through the conduct of aforementioned programs and variety of engagements attended by the Director General. International linkages and partnerships were also explored this midyear, through initiation of ties and establishing connections with new organizations like Malaysian Technical Cooperation Program (MTCP), Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Malaysia and the National Institute of Public Administration (INTAN), The Economist (an international publication) and many others.

The Board took note of the key developments in CPSC and expressed support to agenda items raised. The 97th GB Meeting will be held on June 26, 2014.