(One Day Symposium, jointly hosted by the Centre of Excellence for Digital Transformation at the ICFAI Foundation for Higher Education and Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, India Office on 27th November 2021, at the ICFAI Campus, Hyderabad.)
New Delhi, December 01, 2021: Centre of excellence for Digital Transformation (CeDT) at the ICFAI, in collaboration with Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES), India organised a one-day symposium on 27th November 2021 on the topic “Digital Transformation of Informal Sector- Challenges and Opportunities for EdTech“. Around 50 experts from the fields of education, technology and policy participated in the event whose objective was to engage various stakeholders in the ecosystem in advancing the agenda of digital transformation of the informal sector.
The Chief Guest Mr. Jayesh Ranjan, IAS, Principal Secretary to Govt. of Telangana, I&C Dept, & ITE&C Dept. in his keynote address discussed the importance of the informal sector and the role of educationists, technology experts and the policy makers in supporting the informal sector of the economy. He highlighted the fact that the informal sector which has a significant contribution to the economy has somehow been side tracked. In this context he identified four megatrends that can be looked at in order to have a broader perspective on holistic growth and development. These megatrends include 1) Pace and all-encompassing nature of digital transformation that has left no country, no industry sector and no socio-economic group untouched 2). The contradiction of increasing digital divide in the light of phenomenal technology driven growth that the world has seen and celebrated 3) Transformation in the nature of employment/jobs that call for more emphasis on practical skills than degrees 4). The advantage of demographic dividend coupled with the challenge of its optimum and productive utilization.
Further Mr. Ranjan also discussed the challenges of gap between availability/accessibility of a resource like technology form the supplier side (e.g., government) and the ability/need related to its use from the user side (e.g., rural citizens). Mr. Ranjan also highlighted various endeavours of the government of Telangana involving technology driven development initiatives and offered his and the government’s help and support for any program that has a long-term focus on the development of the informal sector.
Prof. J Mahender Reddy, the Vice-Chancellor of ICFAI in his welcome address highlighted the importance of informal sector for the developing economies like India. He emphasized upon the formalization of the informal sector and the role of technology driven education in achieving digital transformation. Dr. Reddy in his address also underscored the increasing need for focus on skills in addition to traditional focus on the acquisition of degrees and certificates. Dr. Reddy provided an overview of the symposium and suggested that the symposium should conclude by suggesting a roadmap for the future that should be adhered to and monitored by the partners, CeDT, ICFAI and FES, India.
Mr. Ulrich Storck, Country Director, Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, New Delhi, discussed the work done by FES and its partners in the informal sector, particularly their project “Economy of tomorrow”. He touched upon socially relevant trends in India and how challenges of access and equality both in social and work domains can be met through education and skilling/reskilling.
He pressed upon a thorough assessment and analysis of the heterogeneities (e.g., those related to gender, disability etc.) that exist within the informal sector in order to tailor the solutions to the specific needs. He concluded by highlighting the need to identify various stakeholders in the agenda, the need for these stakeholders including educationists, technology players and policy makers to come together to identify the challenges and solutions in the transformation of the informal sector.
There were three panels in the symposium dedicated to education, technology and ecosystem that discussed and debated the needs of the informal sector and the role EdTech can play in addressing the concerns and contribute to the growth.
The symposium concluded with closing remarks by Prof. A V Vedpuriswar, Senior Advisor, ICFAI Group and Ms. Mandvi Kulshreshtha, Program Adviser, FES India
Corporate Comm India (CCI Newswire)
