Out of 124 countries, Bangladesh ranks 99th on the global Human Capital Index in the Human Capital Report 2015 prepared by the World Economic Forum (WEF). Released on May 14 last from Geneva, Switzerland, the report has taken as many as 46 indicators into consideration for awarding the ranking. But the main focus was on building a country's human capital by making good use of education, skill and employment.
Finland has topped the list with a score of 86 out of a hundred. This Nordic country has been followed by Norway and Switzerland. But as it usually happens in most such ranking concerning development, all five of the Nordic countries usually find their places at the top. This time Iceland does not figure among the top ten. Instead, Canada and Japan have advanced their claim ahead of Sweden and Denmark. Then the Netherlands, New Zealand and Belgium have gatecrashed into the party of the elite ten.
Among the South Asian nations, Sri Lanka tops the list at 60th position, 33 and 34 places higher than Bangladesh and India respectively. Even tiny Bhutan at 87th position in the list has scored better than the rest of the countries in the region. Clearly, there is no bar for a country with comparatively less wealth to developing and deploying human capital better than its illustrious members. The WEF has sought to know how a country creates opportunities for nurturing talents notwithstanding its limited resources. WEF Chief Executive Chairman Klaus Schwab has precisely summed up the matter. To quote him, "Talent, not capital, will be the key factor linking innovation, competitiveness and growth in the 21st century".
Similar things have happened in case of some of the other human development indices. That Bangladesh has done better than India and Pakistan is some achievement but this should be no cause for celebration. Only a few days ago another such global study has pointed out the country's failure to meet the demand for skilled workers from its own stock. At the level of expertise and top managerial positions too, the country's woeful inadequacy is grossly exposed.
The first thing first: there is a need for a comprehensive planning with the country's human resources. There is no dearth of talent in the country. This has been amply proved by the country's diaspora. Quite a number of them have made their marks as university teachers, scientists and in many other capacities in countries where the very best in the world get an opportunity to prove themselves. Their long journey from this country with hardly any facility to back them up further demonstrates their struggle against adversities before gaining their recognition the world over.
True, investment in human capital is a key to bringing about a change in the situation. Despite the inherent weaknesses of the country's education system, today a resourceful new generation has devoted its talent to innovating technologies and/or devices capable of changing life for the better. In the information and communication technology (ICT) in particular, a new breed of techno-savvy youths has come forward to advance the cause. Another area where Bangladeshi university students have beaten their more famous peers of Europe and America in global competitions is business solutions.
These are small beginnings for Bangladesh but their long-term implications can be immeasurable. If the computing or robotic invention and business solutions concentrate on the day-to-day problems facing the country's farmers, small or medium traders, ultimately gismos, or just simple devices and solutions will be there for making a difference in their lives and livelihoods.
So, the need is to know where to begin and how. Sure enough, education is the number one candidate. More and more investment in education to be complemented by research and experiment holds the key. But this investment has to be made keeping an eye on the future need. In the meantime, the workforce boasting little or no education cannot be left out of focus. Sure enough, the quality of the latest batches of workforce is a good enough indicator of a country's human capital. But Bangladesh cannot improve the standard of the recruitment overnight.
What is feasible is to make progress by stages. Leaving the uneducated to face life on their own is acceptance of retrogression. Because this does not allow their next generation to overcome the hurdle their fathers failed to do. So, the immediate step should be to train them for better employment. People here have demonstrated their readiness to learn skills from time immemorial. Some of the unlettered did it better than their educated peers. No doubt, creation of employment opportunities is highly challenging but under a comprehensive national plan, this is possible. Skill development at all levels catapults a nation from one higher stage to another on the road to economic prosperity.
The Chinese experience can be illuminating. Industrial villages set up in different zones or areas focussed on pooling special skills of workers. Similar ventures would be required to organise training and utilise the skills gained. This is a continuous process and when the entire population can be brought under such a coordinated programme of education, skill development and employment, it stands to support the next generation to aim at acquiring better knowledge and accomplishment. A knowledge-based society is what should be the ultimate aim.
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