Economic Outlook for Southeast Asia, China and India 2020: Rethinking Education for the Digital Era
Overview
The Economic Outlook for Southeast Asia, China and India (EO) is a biannual report focusing on the economic conditions of ASEAN member countries (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam) and the economies of China and India. It aims to provide insights into regional economic growth, development, and integration processes. The latest edition specifically addresses the policy challenges of upgrading education for the digital era in emerging Asian countries.
Key Themes and Policy Challenges
- Digitalization and New Technologies: Rapid advancements in technology significantly impact businesses and the labor market, presenting both opportunities and risks. Education systems must adapt to meet the demands of the digital era.
- ICT Infrastructure and Tools: Ensuring sufficient information and communication technology (ICT) infrastructure in schools and increased access to ICT tools are crucial.
- Teacher Skills: Enhancing ICT skills among teachers is essential for effective digital education.
- Curriculum Adaptation: Incorporating digital technologies into curricula is necessary to prepare students for the digital economy.
- Gender Digital Divide: Closing the gender gap in digital access and skills is critical.
- TVET and Lifelong Learning: These sectors play a pivotal role in digital inclusion and skill development.
Strategic Foresight and Policy Dialogue
The OECD Development Centre works closely with governments, regional actors, and development partners to identify strategic areas of intervention. This edition benefits from consultations with OECD delegations, Asian embassies, and discussions with regional experts. The Centre's involvement includes full memberships from Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam, along with India and China. The project also receives support from other Asian countries.
Acknowledgements and Contributions
The preparation of the 2020 edition involved a dedicated team from the OECD's Asia Desk and valuable input from the ASEAN Secretariat. The publication benefited from discussions with OECD delegations and consultation group co-chairs, as well as contributions from regional experts. Administrative support was provided by Sonja Marki, and Elizabeth Nash, Delphine Grandrieux, Studio Pykha, Aida Buendia, and Elisa Lopez Roldan transformed the manuscript into the final publication. Support from various OECD delegations, embassies, and entities, including the governments of Japan, Korea, Switzerland, and the European Union, is acknowledged.
