AI in education a must, not a choice: secretary

Islamabad: The education ministry, in partnership with the National Institute of Excellence in Teacher Education, hosted a workshop at the Institute of Art and Design here, with over 400 educators and experts showing up to explore integrating artificial intelligence into foundational literacy and numeracy teaching.

Education secretary Mohyuddin Ahmad Wani emphasised the transformative potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the classroom.

“The integration of AI in education is not just an option but a necessity as it will equip our students with critical skills for the future, fostering creativity, innovation, and problem-solving from a young age,” he told participants. Organisers said the workshop aimed to empower primary teachers with innovative methods and practical skills for integrating AI tools into their teaching.

It featured insightful sessions led by leading organisations such as the Federal Directorate of Education, National Institute of Excellence in Teacher Education, Federal College of Education, Pakistan Foundational Learning Hub, NUST Tech Fellows, and other prominent educational institutions.

Gul-i-Zehra of the FDE emphasised the importance of strengthening foundational learning through technology and introduced the directorate’s new initiative to launch an intensive month-long literacy and numeracy programme at the start of each academic year, designed to give students a strong educational foundation.

Director of the PFL Hub Sam Wilson highlighted the challenges in foundational learning and the adoption of educational technology.

FCE head Dr Samia Dogar led an engaging session on practical AI applications in education, offering teachers actionable strategies to improve student engagement and learning outcomes. NIETE officials highlighted their initiatives for teachers' capacity building.

The workshop also showcased creative teaching techniques from educators at Islamabad College for Boys, G-6/3, and featured impressive AI projects from students at both rural and urban government schools. A live demonstration of the Oxford Reading Buddy, an AI-driven literacy tool, gave participants a preview of the future of AI-powered learning aids.

Riffat Jabeen of the FDE reinforced the directorate’s vision of a tech-driven educational landscape. She said that the collaborative effort was a strong commitment to preparing teachers with the skills and tools needed to inspire critical thinking, creativity and effective learning among young students.

The organisers said that the workshop marked an important step toward bridging the gap between traditional education methods and the innovative potential of AI, paving the way for a more dynamic and inclusive approach to primary education in the country.