Pres. Ali urges responsible integration of AI into Caribbean education

Oct 24, 2024 News

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Kaieteur News – While embracing the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and technological innovations into the education system across the Caribbean region, President Irfaan Ali on Wednesday said that such a move should be done responsibly and ethically while ensuring learners remain critical thinkers capable of navigating a future full of complexity and change.

The Guyanese Head-of-State made the announcement as he delivered the keynote address at Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC®) 4th Ministerial Summit that was held in Trinidad and Tobago on Wednesday. This year the summit is being held under the theme ‘Artificial Intelligence and Technological Innovations in Shaping Caribbean Education’.

Appearing virtually, the President said AI, like every other technological advancement before it, presents both challenges and opportunities. He noted that as a Caribbean region, “Our task is to harness the potential of AI while addressing its risk.”

The President said when not only the Caribbean but the wider world was facing the COVID-19 pandemic it provided a crash course in the potential and pitfalls of online learning, noting that it forced everyone to adapt quickly. “For many, this was an uncomfortable transition. We shifted from traditional classroom settings to online platforms attempting to ensure no child was left without opportunity to learn during those challenging months and years,” he said.

He noted that in Guyana for instance, this experience was mixed which saw many teachers struggling to adapt to the digital modes of instruction as students faced hurdles in adapting to new methods of content delivery. “And then it became evident that much more needs to be done to prepare our education systems for a future where digital platform play a central role in the pedagogical methods,” the President shared.

According to the President, the pace of this transformation is accelerating and that the time between each of these technological ages is contracting and moving rapidly. “This means that progress is not waiting on anyone, and it is certainly not waiting on the Caribbean. We must adapt and prepare our education system to embrace this future.” he stated.

With that being said, President Ali mentioned that the ministerial summit is not just an opportunity for dialogue but also a call to action. “We need to explore how AI and other technological innovations can help us address the issues we face, such as declining mathematics, result the pressure to reduce learning loss and a need for deeper engagement with the CXC syllabuses, we must ensure that the Caribbean’s education system does not lag but instead embraces a future where technology is a tool for learning and not a hindrance,” he declared. While embracing the use of his technology, he said too that they must also confront the specific challenges that AI presents for the education in the Caribbean.

According to the President, one pressing issue is the integrity of assessments and another being how students complete their task ahead. “As AI becomes more sophisticated, students might be tempted to rely on it to generate answers rather than engaging with the material themselves and developing their analytical skills. This raises a broader concern about the role of critical thinking and creativity in our education system,” he pointed out.

While looking at these concerns and the benefits of AI, the President urged the various ministers and country representatives to use the summit as a platform for proposing solutions.  He urged also that they focus on how countries can accelerate digital learning, reduce the digital divide and make AI a tool of progress, rather than a source of fear.

“Our goal should be to prepare our students to thrive in a world where technology is evolving, while ensuring that they remain critical thinkers capable of navigating a future full of complexity and change,” he said.

Incorporating AI responsibly, he suggested that there should be setting up standards for AI use in classrooms, developing guidelines for academic integrity in the digital age, and ensuring that our teachers are equipped and that AI should not replace the role of educators.

“The future of education in the Caribbean depends on the choices we make. It is in our hands to ensure that the promise of AI and technology becomes a reality that benefits every student in our region, let us embrace this opportunity to transform education, to close the digital gap and to create a brighter, more equitable future for our children,” President told those gathered. The event yesterday featured presentations and round table discussion from regional ministers, two plenary sessions, one with a panel of university academics collectively interrogating the impact of technological innovations on Caribbean Education and how regional policymakers and educators can work smarter using AI.

 

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