1.0 INTRODUCTION

Malaysia, a Southeast Asian country that was founded in 1963 is reported to have an estimated population of 32,776,194 with an average annual growth rate of 1.27%, ranking her as the 45^th populous country in the world according to the (World Population Review, 2021). Going by the World Bank classification, Malaysia is classified as Upper middle income country and stands as one of the competitive economy in the Asian continent. The country currently stands on the 62^nd position on the Human Development index. Looking from the health index perspective the country has a life expectancy of 76.2 years. From the education index, the expected years of schooling in Malaysia is 13.7 while the mean years of schooling for education is 10.4 (Human Development Report, 2021).

On the other hand, Canada, a North America country that gained independence from the British government in 1982 is categorized as a developed country with estimated population of 38,070,594 which ranks it as 38^th on the world population ladder. Furthermore, Canada is regarded as the fastest growing country among the G7 countries with a population growth rate of between 0.8% and 1.2% (World Population Review, 2021). The country currently stands on the 16^th position on the Human Development index. Looking from the health index perspective the country has a life expectancy of 82.4 years. From the education index, the expected years of schooling in Canada is 16.2 while the mean years of schooling for education is 13.4 (Human Development Report, 2021).

Taking a close observation on the two countries it became important to carry out a comparative analysis on the two countries’ based on the Human development index which is used by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to measure the national socioeconomic development of a country based on education index, health index, and Gross National Income per capita.

2.0 Human Development Index

In the work of (Todaro & Smith, 2015), Human development index (HDI) is the index that is used in measuring national socioeconomic development. This is done by combining education index with, health (especially life expectancy index) and Gross National Product per capita.

Education index is made up of both the expected years of schooling and the mean years of schooling. Mean year of schooling on the one hand is conceptualized by (SDGs, 2013) as average number of completed years of education by people of age 25 years and older of a country’s population. This however excludes those years spent by individuals for repeating a grade/class. While the expected years of schooling is the number of years that a child that is old enough to be enrolled in school is expected to receive schooling education provided the current age-specific enrollment rates remain the same for the child’s years of schooling (Our World Data, 2018).

Life expectancy on the other hand is explained as the estimated number of years that a new born child is expected to live if he or she is subjected from the day of birth to the mortality risks prevailing for the population (Todaro & Smith, 2015).

Data and Analysis

1. Life Expectancy for Health (average life expectancy)
   • Data

Table 1

• Diagram

• Data and diagram explanation

The data in the table above revealed that over the last ten years, the life expectancy in Canada have been on a very high side and is above the expected life expectancy that is categorized under Very high human development. In addition to this, life expectancy in Canada for the last ten years under review had increased by 0.24% in 2010, 2011 and 2012. After which the life expectancy growth rate increase but at a decreasing rate of 0.12% from 2013 all through 2019.

On the other hand, the data obtained as regards the life expectancy for health in Malaysia also falls under the classification of very high human development. In addition to this, life expectancy in Malaysia for the last ten years under review had increased by 0.27% in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2103, 2014 and 2015. However, the life expectance growth at a decreasing rate of 0.13% in 2016 before rising back to the annual growth of 0.26% in 2017, 2018 and 2019.

Education Index

• expected years of
• mean of years of schooling for
• Data

Diagram

• Data and diagram explanation

The data in the table and figure above revealed that over the last ten years, the expected years of schooling in Canada maintain a good standard and falls under the high human development category although it has been on the very high human development the category until 2014. From the data and diagram above, it can be inferred that there is fluctuation in the growth rate of variation between the expected years of schooling and mean of years of schooling for education between the two countries. However, there is no period at which Malaysia have the least variation compared to Malaysia for the whole 10 years of comparison.

The interesting fact about the data above is that both countries follows the same trend in their education index which comprises of the expected years of schooling and mean of years of schooling.

Income Index

(Gross National Income per capita for standard of living)

• Data

• Diagram
• Data and diagram explanation

The data in the table above revealed that over the last ten years, the Gross National Income per capita in Canada have been on a very high side and is above the Gross National Income per capita that is categorized under Very high human development. In addition to this, the growth rate of the Gross National Income per capita in Canada for the last ten years under review can be said not to be stable or fluctuating. For instance, it increases by 1.7% and 2.2% in 2010 and 2011 respectively. The increase declined in 2012 to 0.79% and increased by 1.5% and 1.75% in 2013 qnd 2014 respectively. It experience a low increase again in 2015 and 2016 at the rate of 0.03 %and 0.18% respectively. It further increased by 1.99% in 2017 before experiencing a another low rate in 2018 and 2017 at 0.46% and 0.48% respectively

On the other hand the data obtained as regards Gross National Income per capita in Malaysia falls under the classification of high human development. In addition to this, the growth rate of the Gross National Income per capita in Malaysia for the last ten years under review experienced an appreciable growth rate that is significant in comparison to that of Canada. However, this increase is also fluctuating too. For instance, it increases by 4.3% and 4.5% in 2010 and 2011 respectively. The growth rate declined in 2012 to 2.55% before increasing to 3.69%, 4.61% and 4.34 in 2013, 2014 and 2015 respectively. It experienced a period fluctuating increase again by increasing at 3.01%, 4.2%, 2.54% and 3.67% in the remaining following years respectively.

• Evaluation and Comparison

Evaluating the data from the life expectancy perspectives, it is found that Canada is doing well with the average life expectancy of 82.4 as against 76.2 that is obtainable in Malaysia. This implies that an average Canadian is expected to live 6 years more than an average Malaysian all things being equal. This justifies that the ranking of Canada as 16^th as against Malaysia’s 62^nd is was not due to chance. However, the declining rate of life expectancy growth rate for the two countries should keep all policymakers in the health sector at alert.

Using the education index, Malaysia is still lagging behind Canada. Although, the difference in the variation is a bit fair, it still doesn’t rule out the fact that Canada is performing well than Malaysia, a country that gained independence officially after 19 years that Malaysia have been pronounced independent. In terms of the Gross National Income per capita for standard of living, it is found that Canada’s GNI per capita for the whole ten years under review is the double or more of what is obtainable in Malaysia. this shows the real extent at which the Malaysia economy is far behind the Canadian economy.

The comparative analysis done above revealed that Canada, despite the fact that is gained independence after Malaysia is doing excellently well in terms of Human Development Index. Currently, Canada is ranked as number 16 as against Malaysia which is ranked as number 62. As regards the GNI per capita, (Todaro & Smith, 2015) have argued that it is not an inadequate measureof development since it is not capable of reflecting the real hardship of poverty. Thus the Malaysia economy cannot be totally looked down upon based on the GNI per capita component.