| James Kon |
UNIVERSITIES in Brunei Darussalam should work closely not only with government agencies, but also the private sector, to ensure that future demand for and supply of graduates match with the country’s development.
This was stated by Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Abdul Mokti bin Haji Mohd Daud in his speech as the guest of honour at the Brunei Dialogue 2018, organised by Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD) at the Royal Berkshire Hall of the Royal Brunei Polo and Riding Club yesterday.
“Education must be adapted to our local context, but it must also have an eye firmly on the global driving forces and the future we expect.
“With changes more rapid than ever, education must prepare our graduates to access a new economic future, and build in them fundamental values and skills that will last for a lifetime,” the minister said. He hoped that the Brunei Dialogue can capture and address these challenges with a focus on preparing Brunei’s universities for the future.
“Education is a noble endeavour. More than just shaping the future of each individual that passes through our hands, education shapes the future of our nation.”
“As Malcom X said, ‘education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today.’ Therefore, it is my wish to see in the near time many wonderful ideas from this dialogue materialise to make universities as centres of lifelong learning for the benefit of all people,” the minister said.
In his speech, the minister also touched on Asia’s rapid rise in economic and global importance. “There is a shift in economic weights with emerging markets catching up and growing faster in Asia. The economy of Asia comprises more than 4.2 billion people – that is 60 per cent of the world population – living in 46 different countries. Asia is the fastest growing economic region and the largest continental economy by GDP PPP (purchasing power parity) in the world. China is the largest economy in Asia and the second largest economy in the world. While East Asian and Southeast Asian countries generally rely on manufacturing and trade for economic growth, countries in the Middle East depend more on the production of commodities. Over the years, with rapid economic growth and large trade surplus with the rest of the world, Asia has accumulated more than half of the world’s total foreign exchange reserves.
“Coupled with stable economic growth, Asia currently has an interesting demographic profile and Asian countries must take right measures today such as restructuring the educational curriculum and engaging with the private sector and the community to ensure our youngsters are better equipped to take up jobs of the future. Hence, investment in human capital is important where universities play a significant role in meeting the future demands,” the minister noted.