Lifelong Learning in the Digital Age: Addressing Economic and Social Inequalities Through Inclusive Policy

Résumé

Highlighting its importance for empowering individuals, building communities, and fueling the economy, the research examines systemic obstacles ranging from economic to social to technological. At a microeconomic level, participation in lifelong learning is related to the trade-off between costs (tuition fees, opportunity costs, and time) and benefits (increased employability and enhanced wages). The experience of most people shows that wage returns justify the investment in some cases; however, on the whole, social and economic inequality impedes some individuals and preserves social inequality for others. At the macroeconomic level, lifelong learning drives economic growth, innovation, and social resilience, but the high social costs, particularly in terms of public spending and infrastructure development, present fiscal challenges. One of the main barriers is finance, reflecting ongoing debates about the sources of funding—public sector, private sector, and individuals—indicating differential access and equity. In addition, systemic inequality is exacerbated by the digital divide, which restricts access for the most marginalized to digitally mediated learning programs. Rapid digital transformation and the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) add further complexity to this palette, opening up opportunities for democratization as well as the potential for further deepening social divides. Disadvantaged individuals with low digital literacy skills and/or poor digital infrastructure may be left behind, increasing social stratification. To address this, the article argues for the adoption of broad policy actions that advance inclusive access, equitable financing, and investment in digital infrastructure. The comparative strategy of case studies across Singapore’s SkillsFuture and the US free online platforms seeks to highlight the mechanics of how equitable lifelong learning systems can be developed to keep pace with technological changes and to recommend potential policy designs to support the formulation of sustainable and inclusive educational systems, especially in developing countries like Morocco.

JEL Classification: I24

Paper type : Empirical Research