The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence is forcing education systems around the world to reconsider long-standing assumptions about teaching, learning and assessment. Guyana cannot afford to remain outside that conversation.
President Dr Irfaan Ali’s intervention on the growing use of AI in education therefore raises an issue that extends well beyond technology. It goes to the heart of what education is intended to achieve and how learning should be measured in an environment where information, answers and even polished assignments can increasingly be generated within seconds.
Speaking on Monday during Teachers’ Day celebrations, President Ali acknowledged both the opportunities and challenges presented by AI. His central message was clear: technology should support education, but it cannot replace the teacher.
That distinction is important as AI can assist educators with lesson preparation, the development of teaching materials, adaptation of instruction and the creation of more interactive learning experiences. These possibilities could be particularly valuable as Guyana continues to expand digital technology in classrooms and seeks to equip students for a rapidly changing economy.
A teacher recognises when a student is struggling. A teacher can identify potential that may not yet be visible in examination results. A teacher can encourage, challenge, motivate and provide the patience required to help a child overcome difficulties. Those human relationships are central to effective education and cannot be reduced to an algorithm.
President Ali’s remarks are particularly relevant in the area of assessment as traditional assignments can no longer automatically be regarded as reliable evidence of individual understanding when students have access to increasingly sophisticated AI tools capable of generating essays, solving problems and producing other forms of academic work.
UNESCO has similarly identified the disruption of traditional assessment as one of the major consequences of generative AI. The organisation has argued that education systems must place greater emphasis on higher-order thinking, creativity and ethical reasoning rather than relying excessively on tasks that can be readily completed by machines.
That does not mean abandoning written assignments, examinations or established forms of assessment. It means ensuring that assessment continues to measure what education is actually supposed to produce: understanding, reasoning, application, creativity and the ability to solve problems.
The more important question is whether the student understands the material and can demonstrate independent thought. This requires a change in teaching practices as well as assessment methods. More classroom discussion, oral presentations, practical projects, problem-solving exercises and assignments rooted in local circumstances can provide opportunities for students to demonstrate genuine understanding. Assessments can also require students to critique AI-generated material, identify errors, evaluate competing arguments and explain the reasoning behind their conclusions.
Such an approach would make responsible use of the technology part of the learning process.
That approach is consistent with UNESCO’s AI competency framework for teachers, which identifies human-centred thinking, ethics, AI foundations, AI pedagogy and professional learning among the competencies educators increasingly require.
Guyana therefore has an opportunity to ensure that technological advancement is accompanied by investment in teacher capacity. President Ali has already pointed to the importance of continuous professional development as educators navigate an increasingly digital classroom.
Teacher training must now include sufficient exposure to AI tools, their limitations, ethical considerations and practical applications. Educators should not be expected to confront technological changes without the necessary knowledge and institutional support.
The objective cannot be to shield young people from AI as students will enter workplaces where AI is likely to be commonplace. Education must instead prepare them to use the technology responsibly while retaining the ability to question information, exercise judgement and think independently.
The president’s call to reconsider what learning means in the age of artificial intelligence is therefore timely. The education system must evolve because technology has evolved. But evolution must not come at the expense of the human purpose of education.
The classroom of the future should be one in which teachers are better equipped by technology to educate, guide and inspire, while students become more capable of thinking critically and using technology responsibly.
Guyana’s education transformation must embrace that balance.