Friday, October 1, 2010

Education as Economic Competitiveness

By Nur Abidin

The rapid growth of technologies has driven many changes almost in all dimensions of human life. In economic sector, these changes inevitably bring about competitiveness both in terms of employment availability and competition among job seekers themselves. Education as Economic Competitiveness is a growing view contended by most neo-modern societies particularly policymakers and politicians who consider education as an essential investment which enables people to compete and success in their economy life (Bernanke, 2007). This belief is based upon the premise that in future global economic competition, individuals possessing high-skills will have better opportunities and access to win the battle of employment compared to those who do not. Accordingly, knowledge, competency and skills are deemed vital and becoming the prerequisite determining the employment success and prosperity. In response to such assumption, education is seen to be the best answer. It is assumed to be the main driver which will prepare and produce qualified people ready to meet the challenges and demands of the future economic competition (Lauder, et al., 2006). As the result, education is based upon and highly oriented to economic challenges.

Historically, the above concept was firstly promoted in the neo-liberal states like the Unites State and Britain which view people as the human capital that play an important role in the future economic development and poverty elevation. For these neo liberalists, the trend of the global economy in the future is predicted to be much more challenging and competitive in which ‘brain workers’, which refers to the West, will dominate the economic competition as the result of better education in west countries. The global economic trend will embrace the knowledge economy system in which more knowledgeable and skilful people are preferred and have greater opportunities for success (Lauder, et al., 2006). Driven by this belief, the education philosophy is shifted and relied on the education gospel which is generated from the economic perspectives. The education is assumed and expected to make people not only to be employable individuals but also to be creative beings who able to create employment themselves.

At glance, the above concept is quite relevant with the current educational practices utilized and embraced by most modern schools. However, if we deeply consider the implication of such view to the basic nature and purpose of education, we will admit that there has been a gradual process of attrition and constriction that weakens creativity and demoralizes both teachers and students. For a detailed discussion on this issue, please refer to the article on “Islamic Education: Educating the whole person”.

References

Bernanke, S. B. (2007). Education and Economic Competitiveness. Retrieved September 12, 2010 from http://www.bis.org/review/r070928a.pdf.

Lauder, H. et al. (2006) The Prospects for Education: Individualisation, Globalisation and Social Change, in (Ed), Lauder et al, Education, Globalisation and Social Change, Oxford Press, Oxford pp 1-70.