How Malaysia got it right

Peter Bruce’s most recent column reminded me of the economic history of Malaysia and Ghana (Skills transfer does not happen by magic, July 5).

These two countries had similar post-colonial genesis, having attained political independence in 1957. The similarities end there though, because the macroeconomic and skills development policies adopted by each country have led to exceedingly different outcomes.

The dominant strand of analysis has always centred on celebrating Kuala Lumpur’s fiscal and central planning prudence and been critical of Accra’s dearth of vision. But my post-modernist interpretation of the Ghana-Malaysia comparison reveals that differences in the development of Malaysia and Ghana are attributable, in major part, to a fundamental factor that is currently inalienable in accelerating economic growth.

When both countries attained independence they were characterised by acute poverty. Ghana’s chances of a good launch were dashed when charismatic founder Kwame Nkrumah was deposed, heralding chaotic governance under military administrations until constitutionalism was restored in 1992. In the case of Malaysia, economic development was marked by a concerted appreciation of the benefit of information and communication technology in education and the economy, hence its strength in knowledge-based industries. It is this knowledgebased development trajectory that explains the Malaysian economic miracle. Efficient technologies increase productivity, lessen production costs, promote quality and increase competitiveness and innovation.

The same is true in education. If SA wants to accelerate its economic development, we have to fix our basic education and improve skills transfer at the workplace.

Dr Rabelani Dagada Johannesburg