Schools and other educational institutes in Taiwan would do well to recognize the huge investment the government over the years has made in human resource development and see how they can dovetail with the needs that have been recognized and identified. As such, parents and educators need to be cognizant of this fact and gradually help children to become aware of society’s needs. In providing an education for students or our own children, it is critical that we equip them with the learning skills, attitudes and values necessary for survival in the 21 Century. Teachers need to also realize they are the real instruments of change and need to be mindful education policy. As educators we need to understand the growing needs of our economies and of society at large and to be able to help students to realize their potential, understanding their competitive advantage lies in their ability to be innovative and creative.
From an agrarian labor intensive economy, to a capital intensive economy, Taiwan has finally in the last 30 years emerged as a Technology and Knowledge Intensive Industrial economy. This has clearly occurred by design and it makes one wonder what the vision for the next 50 years or less is. There has been a huge input of energy in human resource development practices, the result producing highly skilled scientific practitioners leading to an explosion in the fields of information and technology. This focus on the Technology and Knowledge Intensive Industries has establish Taiwan as a world leader in ICT development holding a more than 50% global market share in very important Information, Communication and Technology products including notebook PC’s, iPods, Cell Phones and other ICT products. This understanding is crucial if its educational institutions are going to lead our students in the right direction because it stands to reason that this is where the key to our survival exists. It’s astounding that such a small nation with a population as small as 23 million has been able to achieve all that it has in a mere 50 - 60 years.
Meeting the needs of an economic structure that includes music, arts, sports, culture, science and technology in their broadest sense is the key for creating balance. Whilst one could agree there are certain imbalances in Taiwan, what you do not see is extreme poverty and unrest thus creating a more stable economic environment. How does one maintain this? And how can one improve upon this? A culture of productivity is crucial for attracting investment that has contributed positively towards creating the economic environment that is so crucial for this kind of development. It stands to reason then that maintaining a similar environment with same attributes at a medium and micro scale would be optimal. Every level of society needs to work together in the true ‘spirit of Ubumbano*’(see note). This goal can best be achieved if one approaches this in a structured and coordinated manner whilst being flexible allowing for individual differences and perspectives to emerge and develop.
Much of what has been achieved must surely have emerged from a sound education policy that Taiwan has followed through with. One can notice particularly in Hsinchu County that the public schools are comparatively well equipped with human resources, personal and equipment. There are also many small universities scattered all around the island, each catering for individual needs and interests of students locally and from all around the world! The highest priority in Taiwan in an era where Information and Technology have certainly become an economic focus, certainly seems to be on human resource development with a focus on self actualization. Throughout the island, the need for students to become familiar with the English Language was identified in the 80’s and has since become a multibillion dollar industry. The ‘true value’ of this can be argued, however the organization, freedom and structure can be clearly noted. It is therefore imperative that schools are aware of the growing needs of Taiwan and of the rest of the world. The world is the market place particularly for those growing up in Taiwan. It is our responsibility as educators to provide them with educational needs that equip them to survive in the competitive international community. International boundaries have been stripped away as ongoing globalization of every facet of human existence takes on a more competitive nature. Of this, educators need to be constantly aware.
Educators today must also be aware of the growing trends in society and provide teaching styles conducive to maintaining student interest. The ways students learn continues to change as the digital age takes a firm grip on what we see and how we perceive our reality. Educators can no longer stand in front of students and babble on about things the text book or their parents say they should know word for word. Parents need to understand that educational need have changed since they were at school and being able to recite a text book is NOT what society or the economy needs. These days are long gone! Children from as young an age as possible should be allowed to develop as critical thinkers. There needs to be greater diversity of interests to allow a new enlightened generation to emerge that will solve the problems of the world. It has been said that the problems in the world today cannot be solved by the people who created them. Children should be recognized as natural learners and with educators being mere facilitators of knowledge and information that is already out there in pc’s, iPods, Mp3, 4 and 5 players and not just in the class room. We need to give them skills of how to differentiate between this knowledge gained and to discern what is more suitable and most appropriate for their own development. They need educators who will provide them with windows of opportunities to learn about something of interest, something that is useful allowing them to go on and become whole brain thinkers. We will otherwise be met with resistance and life in the classroom could ultimately become really unpleasant. This is applicable to ALL grades and levels of teaching. Students need to feel they are part of the process and to achieve this, one needs to give them responsibility. They should not feel afraid to fail at an attempt since all the greatest inventions today probably failed the first time the idea was conceived and put into practice. Ask Bill Gates, Richard Branson or any other innovator or thinker who has shaped all our lives and destinies.
In the final analysis it can be said that social development is about creating an environment where students can develop their full potential, leading productive creative lives in accord with their individual needs and interests. We as educators today must embrace the 21st Century in a positive light giving every individual a chance to discover their own full potential, strengths and creative abilities. From an African and more western perspective, Taiwan can be seen as a land filled with contradictions. One can moan about little old ladies holding up rush hour traffic as they cruse down Guangfu Lu in their little battery operated buggy at 15 km per hour - no road rage, mind you! But you could never argue that Taiwan does not look after its people. In the end, it needs to be said that it all starts with a good education and there is always room for improvement.
Ubumbano*- The African value that describes the coming together of the will and spirit of people.
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