Cover Gen.T honourees in education: Chuencheewan Wongsaeree, Danutcha Catriona Singh, Alicia Liu, Kevin Yang, Stephen Yu, Dita Aisyah and Felix Lee (Illustration: Raphael Quiason)
Gen.T honourees in education: Chuencheewan Wongsaeree, Danutcha Catriona Singh, Alicia Liu, Kevin Yang, Stephen Yu, Dita Aisyah and Felix Lee (Illustration: Raphael Quiason)
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The future of learning is in the good hands of the next generation of leaders, who are changing and equalising the playing field through education
We live in a time of unprecedented change and uncertainty. The world faces complex and interconnected challenges such as technological disruption, globalisation, climate change and social inequality. These challenges require new skills, mindsets and approaches to learning and work.
The traditional education model, designed for the industrial age, no longer fits this purpose. It is based on standardisation, memorisation and testing rather than creativity, collaboration and problem-solving. With the advancing challenges we face today, many have lamented that it does not prepare learners for the future nor foster their passion, curiosity and agency.
Learning in the new age has to be adaptable, tailored, meaningful and fun. To develop these critical skills for the road ahead, learners need to be able to design their own learning paths based on their passions, talents and aspirations.
Here are seven Gen.T honourees who are changing the way we learn and encouraging lifelong learning.
Read more: International Day of Education: How these visionary educators are shaping the future of Asia
Dita Aisyah
Above Dita Aisyah, co-founder and chief business development officer, Binar Academy (Photo: M Iqbal Arwin)
Dita Aisyah, co-founder and chief business development officer, Binar Academy (Photo: M Iqbal Arwin)
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Co-founder and chief business development officer, Binar Academy
Today’s job seekers need tech skills, but not everyone gets to learn them in a nurturing, positive environment. In 2017, Dita Aisyah co-founded Binar Academy, an edtech company that provides online boot camps, webinars and certified courses but avoids the hyper-competitive ranking system many Indonesians grow up with. Binar aims to make studying digital marketing, software development and data analysis fun and even addictive—and high-tech careers easier to get.
Read more: 3 education advocates who are shaping Asia’s future leaders
Danutcha Catriona Singh
Above Danutcha Catriona Singh, managing director, Sols Foundation (Photo: Daniel Adams)
Danutcha Catriona Singh, managing director, Sols Foundation (Photo: Daniel Adams)
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Managing director, Sols Foundation
Danutcha Catriona Singh believes that education is key to moving out of poverty. Her organisation Sols Foundation equips the bottom 40 percent of earners in Malaysia with knowledge and skills through education, training, personal development and employment support. Its 12-month Solar Academy programme readies indigenous and low-income youth for careers in renewable energy. It also ran the Prince’s Trust International Achieve Programme in Malaysia.
Felix Lee
Above Felix Lee, co-founder and CEO, ADPList (Photo: Darren Gabriel Leow)
Felix Lee, co-founder and CEO, ADPList (Photo: Darren Gabriel Leow)
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Co-founder and CEO, ADPList
Felix Lee gives people the opportunity to learn from the experts. His company ADPList opens up career opportunities by allowing people to connect with mentors from companies like Airbnb and Netflix and get free advice. Established in 2021, ADPList has so far signed up more than 15,000 mentors and seen mentorship sessions held across over 140 countries.
Kevin Yang
Above Kevin Yang, co-founder, Proof of Learn
Kevin Yang, co-founder, Proof of Learn
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Co-founder, Proof of Learn
Kevin Yang’s web3 education platform Proof of Learn allows its students to earn rewards for learning. It operates Metacrafters.io, a game that teaches blockchain coding skills. In 2022, the company raised $15 million in a funding round led by New Enterprise Associates and joined by Animoca Brands. Kevin previously helped to build the Philippines’ leading mobile fast food delivery app for McDonald’s and was co-founder and CEO of dockless e-scooter startup Wyng.
Read more: Glints co-founder Oswald Yeo on connecting and upskilling young talents across Asia
Chuencheewan Wongsaeree
Above Chuencheewan Wongsaeree, co-founder and chief growth officer, Globish
Chuencheewan Wongsaeree, co-founder and chief growth officer, Globish
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Co-founder and chief growth officer, Globish
A former managerial candidate at Uniqlo, Chuencheewan Wongsaeree now aims for international excellence—allowing Thai and Vietnamese children and adults to compete in the global market. Her online language learning platform Globish offers international coaches and courses for English and Chinese, as well as training in essential life skills, mental health awareness and coping mechanisms. It runs 600 daily classes for more than 30,000 students from more than 100 organisations.
Stephen Yu
Above Stephen Yu, co-founder and CEO, SAT Knowledge, AT Knowledge (Photo: Renan Chung)
Stephen Yu, co-founder and CEO, SAT Knowledge, AT Knowledge (Photo: Renan Chung)
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Co-founder and CEO, SAT Knowledge, AT Knowledge
Online education platform SAT Knowledge, co-founded by Stephen Yu, has designed more than 40 courses in subjects such as business, art, music and personal development based on extensive market research. It is growing fast, matching its 2021 revenue in a single quarter of 2022, and in 2023 it announced plans to expand to Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia.
Alicia Lui
Above Alicia Lui (Photo: Jocelyn Tam)
Alicia Lui (Photo: Jocelyn Tam)
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Founder, Women In Sports Empowered Hong Kong
Alicia Lui is using sport as a tool for gender empowerment, particularly for those from underprivileged backgrounds. The organisation she founded, Women In Sports Empowered Hong Kong (Wise), runs sports programmes in local schools and a workplace mentoring initiative. An ultimate frisbee enthusiast, she is also the author of Sporty Girl Journals, a book encouraging young girls to participate in sports.
See more honourees in the Education category on the Gen.T List 2023.
