AI and new technologies boost illiteracy in Singapore
An OECD study highlighting this trend worries Singapore authorities. To remedy the situation, the government is vetting plans to boost education levels. The country’s competitiveness, occupational levels, not to mention workers’ skills, earnings and well-being are under threat.
Singapore (AsiaNews) – A study released in December by the Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) confirmed that knowledge is declining and various forms of illiteracy are rising among to Singaporeans after they leave school.
Such a situation depends in part on the time lapse after the acquisition of new knowledge, and failure to upgrade skills applicable in the workplace.
With respect to Singapore, the study provides updated data from a survey of 5,000 Singaporean citizens and permanent residents aged 16 to 65 years to see their levels of knowledge 15 years after the end of their formal education, as well as the ability to adapt to new needs.
While he sharp decline in knowledge after the age of 35 is a global phenomenon, average knowledge levels in Singapore are lower than the average of OECD countries (the most developed in the world), which should spur the country’s government to find causes and take steps to improve the situation.
In a society that is very productive with a population that is highly prepared (or claims to be) but also aging fast, this trend has set off alarm bells with lively debates about the problem itself and proposals for solutions.
After the study’s release, questions were raised in parliament, addressed to the Education Minister, to provide answers about the impact of the situation on the employability of workers over the age of 35, and how to ensure a necessary level of education and preparation for Singaporeans of all ages.
For Education Minister Chan Chun Sing, the situation calls into question the use of high tech in information processes that reduce the need for complex writing in favour of shorter and more immediate communication on social media.
“As cognitive outsourcing becomes more prevalent with AI (artificial intelligence), there is a risk of erosion of deep thinking and reflection,” said the Education Minister.
Atrophy is a real risk, even more so in Singapore, a country that requires high-level skills, quick adaptation, and great productivity.
The risks related to declining levels of knowledge and ability to express it could in fact have negative repercussions on the country’s competitiveness, investments, employment levels and quality, as well as workers’ earnings and well-being, Minister Chan noted.
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26/01/2023 17:10
19/08/2021 15:08
