Office of the Education Council hosts APEC Education Conference : Brainstorming for reforming education system and upskilling workers for the VUCA WORLD
The Office of the Education Council organized the APEC Education Conference "The Collaborative Direction of Education, Employment, and Decent Work in the VUCA World" during 5-6 May 2022 with the purpose to develop APEC network for employment in a VUCA world. The Secretary-General of the Education Council (Dr. Attaphol Sangkhawsee), together with MOE’S executives, government officials, representatives of the APEC Education Network (APEC EdNet) attended the conference at Pullman Bangkok King Power Hotel, which was broadcasted live via Facebook and Youtube live: OEC News สภาการศึกษา.
Ms. Treenuch Thienthong, Minister of Education, delivered her opening remarks to highlight Ministry of Education and its on working to develop the education quality which is fitting to the Covid-19 situation, by covering 3 important measures : 1) Promoting teaching management at all levels to develop learners competency through competency-based curriculum 2) Upgrading the education system to meet international standards and 3) jointly establishing regional network for promoting skill development and facilitating the transfer of workers within regions in order to cope with the VUCA World.
Key Highlights of the Conference included the making of VUCA World meaning which can create impact on education and skills development in order to meet with labor market need and the VUCA World's policies and challenges in order to to shape future collaboration with APEC economy members for education and employment.
There are three key issues that have been proposed during the meeting: 1) Smart Citizens: how to develop new generation of labor to have public consciousness 2 ) Digital Literacy : how to develop people to get ready for digital and 3) Green and Eco-Friendly Awareness : how to develop people to have self awareness on environmentally friendly.
“Of course! Mechanism on the education system development both Thailand and APEC members are key success in revitalizing the economy across the region. The adjustment of the working paradigm to post-Covid-19 era is also important issue." Dr. Atthaphon reiterated.
Moreover, the Office of the Education Council received the honor from Dr. Khunying Kalaya Sophonpanich, Deputy Minister of Education, to preside over the closing ceremony, where she delivered her speech on the importance of this Conference, good opportunities to all to share and listen to each others and also to exchange ideas on the development of manpower quality of APEC member with commitment to developing competencies and skills of the future for employment. The important of this Conference was the issues happened in the midst of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic, which the education systems have to manage to relieve any impact from the pandemic and keep continuing education for every learner at all levels.
Dr. Atthaphon reiterated that The office of the Education Council will collect information from the Conference in order to develop policy recommendation which also conform to labor market need in order to select the important measurements on education and skills to cope with VUCA World. In addition; the Office will also find out the alternative ways in order to create measures that cope with the disruption in VUCA World. Education and skills sectors have to determine clear visions for confronting with volatility, build the understanding on people, dealing with uncertainty, making the measurement with clarify and simple, dealing with those complicated things, getting ready for any agility, and dealing with ambiguity. Education and skills sectors have to implement upskill-reskill-future skills which are suitable for the future job for everyone and also paying attention to the challenges of the economic transition, trade, investment and rapidly changes in social context in regional levels such as the foreign labor movement and the significant development on technology.
“In the context of Post Covid-19, a lot of things still need to be done to address the transition and consequences of modern education arrangements which meet the labor market in order to reduce inequalities and increase equal educational opportunities for all learners," said by Secretary of the Education Council, Dr. Atthaphon