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Youth voices shape dialogue and discourse on AI and Education and learning practices in Southern Africa
Education is the point at which we decide whether we love the world enough to assume responsibility for it, and by the same token save it from that ruin which except for renewal, except for the coming of the new and the young, would be inevitable. And education, too, is where we decide whether we love our children enough not to expel them from our world and leave them to their own devices, nor to strike from their hands their chance of undertaking something new, something unforeseen by us, but to prepare them in advance for the task of renewing a common world.
This timeless quote by Hannah Arendt, a German and American historian and philosopher from the twentieth century, set the tone for the 2025 International Day of Education webinar, hosted by UNESCO Regional Office for Southern Africa (UNESCO ROSA) on 24 January 2025, under the theme, "Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Education: Preserving Human Agency in a World of Automation”, highlighting the role of innovative technologies in revolutionizing teaching and learning practices. The event attracted learners and participants from nine countries across Southern Africa to explore the potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in shaping the future of education whose voices took centre stage in shaping the conversation around AI and its impact on education.
Discussing cutting-edge AI solutions and initiatives that are making inroads in education systems globally, such as through personalized learning and tutoring pathways, auto-graded assignments, AI-assisted grading and feedback mechanisms, the event explored AI-powered learning platforms and educational initiatives and how these are being leveraged to enhance student engagement, improve learning outcomes, and foster creativity and critical thinking skills especially to tackle global challenges.
In a keynote address by the UNESCO ROSA Director, Nisha, AI was embraced as a key tool for inclusive and equitable education. She underscored the need for education stakeholders to leverage AI responsibly and ethically, ensuring that technology complements and enhances human capabilities rather than replacing them.
We must ensure AI complements and does not replace our voice, our human agency.
Nisha went on to stress UNESCO’s commitment to developing an ethical AI, as outlined in its 2021 Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence.
Framing the discussion for the webinar, Nisha invited students to reflect on the use and benefits of AI to learners and their respective countries, emphasizing UNESCO’s ambition to explore how AI can enhance education, advance research, and build capacities across all age groups, mostly children, the youth, and the working-age population.
The webinar delved into various aspects of AI in education, including its applications in curriculum design, assessment, and teacher professional development. Participants engaged in lively discussions on the ethical considerations surrounding AI use in education and explored strategies for ensuring equity and accessibility in AI-driven learning environments.
Peter Wells, the UNESCO ROSA Head of Education applauded the engagement of youth and their role in shaping AI’s future, encouraging them to view AI as a tool for empowerment.
You are the future. You understand AI and technology far more than many of us. We rely on you and your insights.
Participants expressed their optimism about the transformative potential of AI in education while emphasizing the need for continuous dialogue, research, and capacity building to maximize the benefits of this technology.
Southern African youth voices shaping the discourse on AI and Education
As of May 2023, a UNESCO survey indicated that of 450 schools and universities worldwide, only 10% had developed institutional frameworks or formal policies for the use of AI, and more specifically generative AI applications. According to another , in early 2022, only 7 countries had implemented AI-related frameworks or programmes for teachers and educators, while 15 had incorporated AI training objectives into their national curricula, none of which were southern African countries.
Moderating the discussions, UNESCO ROSA’s Education Programme Specialist, Rovani Sigamoney, explored how AI should be harnessed to enhance education while ensuring it remains a tool to empower and support human intelligence rather than replace it. Participants emphasized the importance of digital literacy and skills, critical and creative thinking, and lifelong learning as key to navigating and adapting to an increasingly automated world. Ethical considerations, human and AI collaboration, emotional and social intelligence as well as the need to build inclusive, equitable education systems were also recurring themes, highlighting a vision to use AI as a tool and force for good.
Adding their voices to the discussion, participants emphasized the importance of ensuring that AI technologies are designed with inclusivity in mind, so that learners from all backgrounds can access and benefit from the tools.
Ms Aone Aabobe from Botswana urged policymakers to prioritize digital literacy and ethics education to empower young people to navigate the evolving landscape of AI responsibly.
Education is the most powerful way to prepare people for a world of automation. By teaching digital literacy, fostering critical thinking and creativity, promoting lifelong learning, as well as teaching ethics and responsibility, we can ensure that human agency is preserved in a world of automation.
Ms Tshegofatso Molepo from South Africa, added that if Africans do not engage with AI there will be continued bias against them.
Education needs to be able to teach you to cope with change. It has the specific ability to inspire you to think creatively. But most importantly, schools and education have the unique ability to define specifically what it actually means for this “intelligence” to be “artificial.
You have to maximize the opportunities that education is able to give you. The most successful people in this world aren't those that run away in the face of adversity. But it is those that make sure that change is made beneficial for them. So choose to make artificial intelligence work for you.
The webinar concluded with an inspiring collaborative call to action by UNESCO ROSA who reiterated the need for collaboration between educators, researchers, policymakers, students and technology developers to ensure AI technologies remain ethical and inclusive and in promoting human potential.
By embracing AI thoughtfully and responsibly, we can create a more equitable engaging and effective learning environment for all learners.
By amplifying the perspectives and insights of young people, Southern Africa is paving the way for a more inclusive and responsive approach to AI in education. As these youth voices continue to shape the discourse and drive positive change, the region is poised to leverage the transformative potential of AI technologies to empower learners and educators alike. As UNESCO continues its work to promote quality education for all, the integration of AI promises to open up new possibilities and opportunities for learners of all backgrounds and abilities.
