The phenomenon known as Middle-Income Trap is alive and well in SouthEast Asia.
Not all boats rise with the water. Contentment sets in and gets in the way of progress.
Countries like the Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia are in this trap.
From a global perspective, they could do better if getting over the hump. Yet people are caught with false sense of security (just a little bit over the Survival phase). No challenge, no progress.
Entrepreneurs, innovation and R&D? That’s a luxury one cannot afford here.
I went pass a Malaysian Educational Center here in HCMC. Apparently to get to Malaysia nowadays is already a step-up (then Singapore, Australia and/or US).
Vietnam needs to leapfrog to be in the forefront of science and technology, commerce and communication. FDI and Tourist dollars unfortunately landed mostly on infrastructure investment more than talent investment.
Its young people will need more than a dose of legislation. They need role models, encouragement and financial supports (to truly master English for Commerce and not just to pass a required placement test).
Encourage Life-Time-Learning.
Life-Time-Learning leads to Life-Time-Fulfillment. Middle-Income will be de facto results.
My hope and wish is for college students to master life’s skills, and to see the big picture, that of being a global citizen, where Many-to-Many is the new model and Pull, not Push, prevails.
Thang Nguyen 555 