President Ali champions digital learning, AI to address learning loss, bridge digital gap in the Caribbean

– At 4^th CXC Ministerial Summit

Recognising that the Caribbean region has not fully embraced technology, His Excellency Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali underscored the need for education leaders to be proactive and adopt technology-driven methods in education delivery to address pertinent challenges.

The head of state posited his appeal during a virtual keynote address at the 4^th Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) Ministerial Summit on Wednesday.

Held in the twin-island of Trinidad, education ministers and stakeholders convened for strategic discussions on ‘Artificial Intelligence and Technological Innovations in Shaping Caribbean Education’.

President Ali pointed out that digital solutions and AI can be instrumental in improving access to education, better learning options for persons living with disabilities, reduced administrative burdens on teachers and even personalized learning to cater to each student’s needs.

He pointed out that the COVID-19 pandemic aggravated the need to embrace digital solutions in education, as countries were unprepared for this.

“By incorporating AI responsibly, we can empower our students to become not just consumers of technology, but achieve ethical participants in its development and use…Let us focus on how we can accelerate digital learning, reduce the digital divide, and make AI a tool of progress rather than a source of fear,” President Ali asserted.

With the world rapidly evolving, President Ali said the Caribbean risks falling behind –like in every industrial revolution – if the Caribbean remains unprepared to harness AI as a tool of progress.

President Ali pointed out that the region is already suffering from a severe digital gap, since ‘chalk-and-talk’ teaching methods are still being used.

According to the president, this comes with serious implications that includes the inability to educate the next generation effectively.

“This is a gap that we must close quickly…It is not just a question of access, but of quality and equity,” the head of state further underscored.

Moreover, for this to be attained, President Ali said heavy investments is necessary to building smart classroom, integrate technologies and ensure educators receive training to operate a digital classroom.

Even though the associated costs are exorbitant, the cost of no action will be greater, resulting in students becoming unprepared for the digital world, he emphasised.

“For many countries that have limited fiscal space, the cost of reducing the digital divide in education will create financial pressures on their budgets, but will represent an investment in future development,” he goes on to explain.

As technology becomes imminent in education, President Ali impressed upon stakeholders to ensure technologies are introduced responsibly and ethically.

The president urged education leaders to be proactive in addressing challenges to ensure the skills and analytical skills provided by the education system, are not undermined.

“Our goal should be to prepare our students to thrive in a world where technology is evolving while ensuring that they remain critical thinkers, capable of navigating a future full of complexity and change,” President Ali underlined.

The summit features presentations and round tables from regional Ministers, two plenary sessions, university academics who collectively interrogated the impact of technological innovations on Caribbean Education. They also explored how regional policymakers and educators can work smarter using AI.