LETTERS: The 4th Industrial Revolution (4IR) is a key challenge for the country. We can succeed by realigning our education to help youth acquire skill sets.
Digital information and communication technologies have penetrated all areas of life.
The digital age comprises basic skills that include the use and production of digital media, information processing and retrieval, participation in social networks for creation and sharing of knowledge, and professional computing skills.
Digital literacy improves employability because it is an essential skill, demanded by many employers when they evaluate a job application.
It also works as a catalyst because it enables the acquisition of other life skills.
At the World Economic Forum recently, it was predicted that by 2040, 80 per cent of jobs in the world will be automated. This means humans will lose jobs because of digitalisation and robots.
There will be job disruption by automation and Khazanah Research Institute studies show that 54 per cent of jobs in Malaysia, within one or two decades, are at risk of being impacted by digitalisation.
That is why we should realign our education system, its curriculum and guidance on job transition, such as job-search assistance, education and training on emerging skills.
Also, digital education opportunities should be provided to all from early childhood.
Additionally, empower women to explore Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics and encourage them to enter high-tech industries.
C. SATHASIVAM SITHERAVELLU
Seremban, Negri Sembilan
The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of the New Straits Times