Page 14 - Education Change and Economic Development: The Case of Singapore Dr. Goh Chor Boon National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University

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different countries on how much they are participating in all the different kinds

of global flows which indicate the generation of wealth. Singapore topped the
list as the country invested in both the infrastructure to tap on global digital
flows of information as well as education of its workforce to take advantage of

the flows. Singapore’s 4G connection speed is one of the fastest in the world. 16
The digitized economy has opened up new possibilities to enhance the
way we live, work, play, and interact. “Smartness” is not a measure of how

advanced or complex the technology is being harnessed, but how well a society
uses technology to solve its problems and address existential challenges. At
the heart of Singapore’s Smart Nation vision is lifelong learning. Singapore’s
leaders understand that the job market is changing quickly. For most workers,

the prospect of lifelong employment in a single role with a single company
is long gone. The global economy now demands workers to be nimbler than

ever. It requires the constant acquisition of new knowledge and skills, and the
flexibility to thrive in an array of shifting environments. This means having both
the mindset and the resources to learn continuously at every stage of life. The
Government took the lead by launching the SkillsFuture initiative in 2016 - a

national movement to provide Singaporeans with the opportunities to develop
their fullest potential throughout life, regardless of their starting points. 17

The strife towards the “Smart Nation” vision requires the creation of a
creative society to support better living, stronger communities, and create more
opportunities, for all. The basic premise is that, in the 21st century, creative
people are required to sustain the wealth of nations. They are ones who unleash

127.
16 Economic Survey of Singapore Third Quarter 2017, p. 18.
17 www.skillsfuture.sg/