OPINION | AI should be part of curriculum to lift SA into digital future

With rapid advances in technological development transforming industries and permeating every facet of our lives, there are mounting calls for schools to embrace Artificial Intelligence (AI) as a curriculum priority.

The focus on AI in public discourse can, at times, appear overwhelming. Yet, highlighting the role of schools in this new world of AI is demanding attention. Where there is a focus on AI in schools, it is likely to be about effective and ethical ways to use it.

This is undoubtedly important, especially a focus on ethical issues. Yet there is perhaps a big role for schools to play, especially as a part of AI ecosystems that prepare the nation for a more productive economic future.

What is the best way ahead for schools, and what needs to be done? Given the multiple possibilities, both schools and governments need to make decisions about the future before that future overtakes them. There is little doubt some South African schools are engaging with AI. This is certainly true of many independent schools.   

The same cannot be said, however, for many government schools, as they often find it difficult on account of connectivity and infrastructure issues. Nevertheless, where families can provide AI devices, schools need to consider how best to help students use them in constructive and ethical ways.

The main point here, however, is not so much that some schools are engaging with AI but why this is not being done by all schools. The reason is related to what is well known as the “digital divide”: those who can afford to engage will do so, and those who cannot, will not.

That independent schools are at the forefront of AI engagement is a good example: the availability of resources, cultural capital and skilled teachers in these schools often contrasts with what is available across the government education system.

Government schools are not helped by the lack of government policy on school education, even though the government has developed the South African National Artificial Intelligence Policy Framework (SANAIPF). Reducing the digital divide is a basic social justice issue for the government and it is both urgent and necessary.

Given the SANAIPF, government priorities in the development of AI infrastructure are clear. A crucial issue is the availability of local AI talent. According to the SANAIPF, this will at least require the incorporation of “AI into the educational curricula from basic education to tertiary levels”. This goes much further than supporting students to use AI.

It could be assumed that such talent can come from universities, and this is largely correct, yet universities themselves must also attract talent and such talent needs to come from schools.

Best practice from other education systems suggests that AI learning can be scaffolded through years of schooling from kindergarten through senior secondary.

Such scaffolding introduces the idea that from secondary schooling onwards, AI can be a subject in the school curriculum: teaching about AI as compared to helping students use AI. Can SA move in the direction to ensure that students will learn about AI?

It would be a challenge given the current level of preparedness. But again, best practice from elsewhere suggests that the process can start by identifying and resourcing “AI Education Leading Schools” as happens in Korea. These schools can be an important location for talent development requiring deeper and intensive learning about AI as part of the curriculum.

The government wishes to position the country to take advantage of the growing importance of AI. Schools should not be excluded from this process since they are a key resource for the development of local AI talent. Funding should not be an issue since it will be an investment in the future that will soon overtake us if it is not made.

• Kennedy is a distinguished visiting professor in the faculty of education at the University of Johannesburg