Education Symposium

As demographics continue to put increasing pressures on governments within the East Asia region, the problems of unmet demand and supply are forcing countries to consider alternative ways to finance future development and to look at serious ways of strengthening local partnerships between the state and the private sector. As the private share of the education market continues to climb, there is an ever-increasing recognition by governments that private education will complement public education in the future and play a pivotal role in the development of human capital. See agenda for more details of speakers and panel discussions.

The World Bank’s East Asia Education Department and the Health and Education Department at the IFC sponsored this symposium in order to provide an excellent opportunity for delegates and leading investors in East Asia to come together to explore and discuss emerging policy options for Governments to accelerate the progress towards achieving their stated education outcomes by partnering with the private sector. The aim was to explore methods by which Governments can undertake pro-active, contextual and contemporary policy making for the education sector. Policy innovations for public-private partnerships were discussed and material from recent six country case studies shall be shared.

Mr. Jemal Kassum, Regional Vice President for East Asia and the Pacific at the World Bank opened the symposium on July 14. H.E. Dato' Dr. Mohd Shafie Salleh, Minister of Higher Education, Malaysia spoke at the opening dinner. Other distinguished speakers included Pak Prof. Satryo Brodjonegoro, Director General of Dept. of Higher Education, Ministry of Education, Indonesia; Hon. Juan Miguel Luz, Undersecretary for Finance and Administration, Ministry of Education, Philippines; Dr. J.S. Nagra Dean, Medical School, Manipal University, Malaysia and Michael Mann, Founding President, RMIT University City Campus, Vietnam