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Investing in people needs fresh collaboration
The IMD World Digital Competitiveness Ranking 2018 study shows the disconsolate picture that most countries in Southeast Asia have witnessed a relative drop in the ranking of overall and digital competitiveness. Worse, dropping three ranks to 62nd in the overall digital ranking, Indonesia is the lowest ranking country in the region.
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With a total population of 641.77 million and a growing middle class, the region is a money-spinning market to tap for big educational digital industries such as those from United States and China. Nevertheless, being digitally uncompetitive will only make the population of Southeast Asia a mere captive market. (JP//Apriadi Gunawan)
W
orld Bank vice president for East Asia and Pacific Victoria Kwakwa was more than correct when underlining the importance of ASEAN in investing in people as key to better development (The Jakarta Post, Sept. 10).
She wrote that while ASEAN “as a whole has been a standout success story”, “[y]et on average, education, skill development and health indicators are below what is expected given ASEAN’s income levels. There are also wide disparities in life expectancy, job productivity and education quality across the region”.
This high enthusiasm in investing in people was also palpable among members countries of the Southeast Asian Minister of Education Organizations (SEAMEO), which recently gathered in Kuala Lumpur to discuss strategic plans for years ahead. The conference saw a handover of the SEAMEO presidency from Indonesian education minister Muhadjir Effendy to Malaysian education minister Maszlee Malik, who will lead the organization from this year to 2021.
The festive handover was filled with the spirit of siblinghood, but the consciousness of hard-hitting reality ahead soon tainted the jovial mood.
Maszlee has a staggering task ahead as the competitiveness of the region is still low and the disparities and inequalities of education in the region are troublesome.
The IMD World Digital Competitiveness Ranking 2018 study shows the disconsolate picture that most countries in Southeast Asia have witnessed a relative drop in the ranking of overall and digital competitiveness.
Worse, dropping three ranks to 62nd in the overall digital ranking, Indonesia is the lowest ranking country in the region.
