The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed gaps and inequalities in traditional education systems across Southeast Asia. To build back better, ASEAN countries are embracing smart education and e-learning initiatives to transform education delivery and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.

Digital Transformation of Education

The unprecedented school closures brought about by the pandemic highlighted the need to make education delivery more resilient. All ASEAN countries have fast-tracked their digital transformation of the education sector since 2020. Countries like Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand already had robust online learning platforms prior to COVID-19, which allowed for a smoother transition to emergency remote teaching. Other countries like Indonesia, Philippines and Vietnam have seen immense progress in developing digital education infrastructure and capabilities over the past two years.

Central to these nationwide digital education drives are expanding internet access, upgrading digital devices and strengthening teachers' digital skills. Countries have rolled out programs to provide students subsidized or free access to laptops, tablets and internet. Significant investments are happening in rural and remote areas to close the digital divide. Teacher training academies have bolstered their digital pedagogy courses to equip teachers for online and hybrid learning models. Digital school management systems and learning management systems are also being implemented across schools for better administration and virtual learning experiences.

According to analysts, the cumulative public and private sector spending on digital education across ASEAN is expected to reach $20 billion by 2025. This scale of investment is transforming education delivery and bringing blended learning approaches into the mainstream across the region.

Lifelong Learning for 21st Century Skills

While ensuring continuity of learning during the pandemic was the immediate priority, ASEAN countries are also aligning their education systems to foster 21st century skills and promote lifelong learning. This shift recognizes that rapid technological changes will disrupt job markets, requiring constant reskilling of workers.

A key reform introduced is the integration of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) and digital skills throughout school curriculums. Coding, data analytics, artificial intelligence, robotics and other futuristic subjects are gaining increased emphasis from primary to tertiary levels. School lesson plans and learning materials are also incorporating competencies like collaboration, communication, creativity and critical thinking.

National open learning platforms are being established to offer online reskilling and upskilling courses to all citizens. For example, Indonesia launched the Ruangguru edtech platform that provides massive open online courses (MOOCs) in many vocational fields free of cost. Malaysia's Open Learning Campus provides a wide range of online diploma and professional certificate programs for lifelong learners.

Corporates and governments are also teaming up to set up online vocational academies. Examples include Singapore's SkillsFuture which has coding bootcamps run in partnership with tech companies like Google. Thailand is scaling up its digital vocational training under the Dual Vocational Education initiative in STEM fields to produce industry-ready graduates.

Rise of Edtech Startups

Driven by strong policy support ASEAN Smart Education And Learning   and growing demand, the ASEAN edtech market has taken off in recent years with a proliferation of innovative startups. According to a recent report, the number of edtech startups in Southeast Asia more than doubled between 2018-2020 with over $1 billion of investments. Edtech is one of the most well-funded tech sectors today in the region.

These startups are leveraging technologies like AI, virtual reality, augmented reality and blockchain to transform traditional education models. Some popular examples include Indonesia's Ruangguru and Zenius for supplemental K-12 learning, Anthropic for AI safety and Pondok Pesantren for Islamic education. BEAM and Learning Village are providing early childhood edutainment using interactive digital tools. Moonshot and Zenius in Vietnam and Philippines respectively offer personalized English language learning solutions.

With more than 360 million internet users in Southeast Asia as of 2021, the edtech region is a lucrative market for these startups to achieve scale. Partnerships with schools and universities allow them to innovate learning experiences while gaining recurring user revenues. Regional expansion aided by similar education ecosystems and languages has accelerated growth trajectories for leading ASEAN edtech startups.

ASEAN Smart Learning Framework

At a regional cooperation level, ASEAN is coordinating efforts through initiatives like the ASEAN Smart Schools Declaration and the ASEAN Smart Learning Framework. Adopted in 2017, the framework prioritizes four pillars - access, equity, quality and governance of digital technologies in education.

Member states have submitted action plans to implement initiatives under these pillars. This includes benchmarking best practices in emerging technologies, facilitating knowledge exchanges between innovation hubs, and monitoring progress through indicators and studies. The framework provides a common vision and roadmap to synchronize education digitalization at the national and ASEAN levels for the coming decade.

ASEAN is firmly on the path of smart education and learning driven by compelling needs and opportunities. While the pandemic fueled this transition, investing in lifelong digital skills will build more resilient, equitable and future-ready human capital across the region. Growing education technology and open learning platforms will catalyze this vision. Regional coordination additionally ensures synergy amidst diverse national scenarios. Overall, ASEAN stands at the cusp of transforming education at scale through digital means.

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