Higher Education and the Labour Market in Asia.

This 1971-76 study of the employment markets in Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Sri Lanka reveals that, except in the Philippines, unemployment is increasing at a very fast rate relative to the level of education per person. In the Philippines and in India, enrollment ratios for higher education have been substantially higher than in the other countries. As social pressure has led to expansion in higher education, the majority of students have enrolled in arts-based rather than science-based subjects. Although arts-based studies cost less, developing nations need more science-based students to further resource development. The role of education in each country and region is best ascertained, according to the author, by analyzing available physical and human resources potentials. Such analysis needs to consider what types of skills will be in increasing demand, and to develop strategies for matching needed skills with the training content of higher education. Findings of the International Institute for Educational Planning Conference to which this paper was presented include a general lack of coherent and comprehensive national policies toward higher education and a significant mismatch in all the countries studied between the expected educational career of the student and the actual educational career. (JBM)