'AI can equip children with skills required in 21st century'

Artificial Intelligence (AI) can boost education efficiency and equip children with skills required in the 21st century, said Jibran Jamshad, Microsoft Country Education Lead for Pakistan.

"As digital transformation continues to sweep across the globe, there is a unique window of opportunity to fast-forward to a completely revolutionised era of education," he said this while talking to Business Recorder here on Tuesday.

"According to the World Bank, the average level of schooling in the Middle East and North Africa Region (MENA) has quadrupled since 1960, with the rate of illiteracy having almost halved. At the same time, statistics tell us that the region has made significant strides when it comes to school enrollment. But despite this progress, the general standard of education across the region still varies significantly, with many countries yet to attain the level of learning to which they aspire," he added.

According to him, research shows in many cases curriculums favour an approach to education based on rote learning, which means students are not always exposed to 21st century skills, such as working in teams, problem solving and innovation. Skill sets such as these are only going to become more important as automation begins to replace lower-skill jobs. Recent Microsoft research conducted in collaboration with McKinsey and Company's Education Practice shows that by 2030, the fastest growing occupations will require higher-level cognitive skills in areas such as collaboration, critical thinking and creativity. Already as many as 30 to 40 percent of jobs in growth industries require soft skills

"Teachers do not always feel adequately equipped to teach these skills. And to build crucial cognitive, social and emotional skills, educators need training, technologies and time. Technology can play a critical role in helping to overcome these challenges, artificial intelligence (AI), in particular, has significant potential to increase the efficiency of education, whether by freeing up educators' time or helping them develop a more student-centred approach to learning," he said. Jamshad averred that Microsoft's research shows technology can free up as much as 30 percent of teachers' time, making it easier for them to respond to individual and group needs.

"And the same study shows students who receive personalised instruction perform better than 98 percent of traditionally taught students. AI-enabled tools are also far more easily accessible than educators might realise. Those found in Microsoft Office 365, for example, are available in programmes such as Word, OneNote and PowerPoint, meaning they are free and easy to use."

He continued that AI can provide educators with greater insight as to how students are progressing so they can adjust their approach, supporting students' individual needs. He said that many schools have improved the academic interaction between students and educators through applications like OneNote and Teams.

"The tools not only promote better collaboration and productivity, but also enhanced interaction between the students and their teachers. The schools digital transformation has a strong impact on student performance, from day-to-day activities to official exams, completely transforming the entire learning journey. These technologies are particularly effective in breaking down the barriers in communication between students of different abilities. By drawing on AI, these tools can help ensure every student has a voice."

He observed that this is a promising sign that we are moving in the right direction as incorporating technology in today's classrooms can help catapult the region's education sector into the digital era. "And ultimately, empowering young people to become successful, capable, and active contributors to the digital economy will create prosperity," he added.