OPINION
By Dr Gillian Mooney
AI has emerged as a beacon of hope for education on the continent, promising to personalise lessons for a child in a remote village or automate grading for overworked teachers in urban townships.
An initiative like the Invigilator App, which keeps online exams rolling even during loadshedding, is a homegrown solution that demonstrates that AI isn’t some distant Silicon Valley import.
However, without urgent and bold action, AI threatens to widen divides, rather than bridge them.
On a continent where billions lack reliable electricity or affordable smartphones, rolling out AI without addressing these basics, risks leaving the most marginalised behind.
The media spotlight often fixates on flashy AI breakthroughs, but the real story is the urgent need for public-private partnerships to make this tech work for Africa.
While companies like ADvTECH are leading with platforms that track student progress in maths and science overnight, spotting struggles before class even starts, scaling this kind of technology requires governments, universities, and businesses to collaborate urgently, to ensure equitable access.
AI’s magic in education starts with personalisation — tailoring lessons to a student’s pace, style, and needs. This isn’t sci-fi; it’s happening in South Africa’s top schools today, where AI acts as a 24/7 assistant, freeing educators for what they do best – inspiring young minds.
By analysing job market trends, AI can even steer curricula toward skills like coding or sustainable farming, linking classrooms directly to tomorrow’s opportunities across Africa and beyond.
The promise versus the problems
For under-served communities, the impact could be revolutionary. Students with disabilities get adaptive tools that read aloud or simplify complex texts; AI tutors immerse students in Xhosa while building global tech savvy. Vocational training gets a boost too, with simulations for welding or entrepreneurship that feel as real as hands-on practice. The result? A generation equipped not just to survive, but to thrive in a world demanding adaptability.
Yet, starry-eyed visions must confront harsh truths.
The digital divide looms large. Without widespread internet, solar-powered devices, or off-grid solutions, AI remains a luxury for city elites. In South Africa alone, loadshedding or unplanned outages disrupt learning daily, so how do we build AI that laughs in the face of blackouts?
Bias is another beast. If training data echoes pre-democracy prejudices, AI could reinforce racial or gender stereotypes in grading or recommendations. We’ve seen it before with facial recognition tech failing darker skin tones — education can’t afford such blind spots.
Teachers, the heart of our systems, aren’t immune either. Fears of job loss or “de-skilling” are valid, but AI should empower, not replace. Training programmes must reframe educators as guides in AI-augmented classrooms, handling the human elements machines can’t touch — empathy, ethical debates, cultural nuance.
This transformation demands African leadership. No more importing off-the-shelf solutions. We need local developers crafting tools infused with our stories, from Ubuntu-inspired collaboration apps to climate-resilient learning platforms. Leapfrogging outdated models, we can pioneer paths that blend tech with tradition.
The pillars to support AI in Africa
To make this real, the following is required:
- Robust Policy Frameworks: Governments crafting rules for ethical AI, from data rules to accessibility mandates.
- Infrastructure Investment: Pouring funds into broadband, cheap devices, and renewable energy to connect every corner.
- Teacher Empowerment: Hands-on training to weave AI into daily teaching, boosting confidence and innovation.
- Research and Development: Homegrown AI hubs fostering African talent and interdisciplinary breakthroughs.
- Public-Private Partnerships: Teaming government with leading public and private educational institutions for scalable, context-specific solutions.
The future of African education, empowered by AI, is not a distant dream; it is an unfolding reality. It is a future where every child, regardless of their location or background, can have access to quality, personalised, and relevant learning experiences.
But what must happen — with urgency — is for Africa to seize this moment with courage, wisdom, and a shared commitment to building an educational future that is truly transformative, truly African, and truly human.
Dr Gillian Mooney is Executive: Teaching & Learning at The IIE’s Academic Centre of Excellence. This article is based on Dr Mooney’s keynote address delivered at the Global AI in Education Conference.
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