Lifelong learning and development
Md Bayazid Khan :
Economic development of a country necessarily demands development of skills by workforces in the labor markets adaptation to the new technologies and digital innovations. Need based development of skills compatible with regularly changing technologies is not a onetime event but a continuous process. So, involving workforces with the lifelong learning process is the key to development as development and learning runs simultaneously. Considering the consequences of previous three industrial revolutions on economy, labor market, lifestyle etc and imminent impacts of upcoming Fourth Industrial Revolution (FIR), nobody can deny the importance of keeping himself/herself in the lifelong learning process for improving skills and knowledge adapting to the newly innovated technologies. As development has no end and it requires continuous changes in technology and innovation therefore keeping pace with the changes individual learning also has no boundary. Rapidly changing circumstances and opportunities in contemporary work and social environments demand the continuing acquisition of new knowledge, new skills and new abilities – and their efficient application. This demand can be met satisfactorily only through a process of continual learning.
Traditional education is conventional that has a beginning and an end. On the other hand, lifelong learning has an endless possibility of improving with discovery, skills, attitude and knowledge. Skills development and a commitment to lifelong learning are now being viewed as vital to meeting the skills and workforce needs of the future. With the future of the world of work that is ever-changing due to adaptation with automation, AI, big data and the growth of entirely new industries, lifelong learning can be the key to enhancing skills for meeting tomorrow’s needs. Lifelong learning can improve an individual’s employability and can help stand out when it comes to job searching, changing career, or making progress in the existing profession. A commitment to learning and professional development is also a quality that is highly sought-after by employers.
Lifelong learning can be the potent ways of combating the skilled workforces’ crisis by meeting the requirements of employers satisfactorily. Both formal and informal sectors in the labor markets must need technology skilled or IT skilled and knowledgeable workforces. For non- technical office based labor markets are going to be replaced by home based or a mix of home based and office based work facilities instead of only conventional office based work facilities. This changes or modern day formal office based labor markets will inevitably require workforces with upgraded skills in digital technology alongside having interpersonal soft skills.
On the other hand, in agriculture and other informal sectors of labor markets existing workforces have been using traditional methods or manually used equipment. These machineries or methods are replaced or occupied by technology based machineries or innovative methods nowadays and such types of technological or innovational changes continue. So, workforces involved in the informal sector labor markets should have an inclination to discover new innovation or technologies alongside developing skills of using these. Therefore, regarding adaptation to the continuously changing circumstances due to digital and technological innovation happening over the world, workforces both in the formal and informal labor markets need to be involved in the lifelong learning process for proving them fit for the new technologies to utilize.
Lifelong learning comprises all the phases of learning from pre-school to post retirement including all spectrums of learning. Different countries have different policies for promoting lifelong learning. Industrialized and developed countries support lifelong learning by providing the opportunity to develop new skills and training for upgrading professional status with new technology. On the other hand, for developing countries, basic literacy and numeracy learning are the important elements for continuing further learning. But countries like Bangladesh need to focus on ensuring foundational learning in literacy and numeracy as well as creating access to develop skills compatible with new technology and digital innovation as lifelong learning.
Encouraging workforces for keeping to the lifelong learning process competencies like basic literacy and numeracy, multilingualism, elementary scientific and engineering skills, basic digital and technology based skills, interpersonal skills and entrepreneurship skills need to be developed among learners at primary and secondary level alongside with adult learners at non-formal education.
So, primary, secondary and adult education curriculum need to be revisited with a view to ensure attainment of the aforesaid competencies by learners in regards to keeping them in the lifelong learning process as learners for the next stages of learning or as workforces in the labor markets. Employers should also come forward with providing opportunities for keeping employees to the lifelong learning process.
(The writer has been working for the
primary education sector since 1997).
