President, PM pledge AI advancement on International Day of Education

ISLAMABAD: As the world commemorates the International Day of Education, the senior leadership of Pakistan is also reaffirming its commitment towards education and AI. “We must work together to make education the foundation of a prosperous, inclusive and progressive Pakistan,” President Asif Ali Zardari said on the occasion.

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The theme for this year is AI and Education: Preserving Human Agency in a World of Automation. In line with this, President Zardari said that responsible use of artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to revolutionise the education system. “Data-driven reforms can be brought to the education system with the help of artificial intelligence tools,” Zardari added.

The president accentuated that Pakistan must prioritise investment in educational infrastructure, along with other persistent challenges facing the education system. “We should use artificial intelligence to improve the education system,” he said, adding, “Education experts, policymakers and parents should adopt artificial intelligence and innovative methods of delivering education.”

AI can help in problem-solving and fostering creativity, the president reiterated. “It will help in enhancing basic skills of mathematics, science, language, history and critical thinking,” Asif Zardari said.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif concurred in his statement on the International Day of Education. “We recognise the important role of education in empowering individuals and communities,” he said.

Sharing his thoughts on AI, he said, “Artificial intelligence-driven systems are rapidly integrating into life.” He said that to maintain the human factor amidst the growing wave of automation, the government wants to equip citizens with tools to adapt to technological changes. “We want methods that uphold our values. We have taken steps to innovate in education.”

The premier said that the government has launched projects like Software Technology Parks, Robotics and Mind Games and STEM Labs, for this very purpose.

STATEMENTS ARE HOPEFUL, BUT STATISTICS ARE BLEAK

The President’s and Premier’s statements on this day are hopeful, the situation at hand remains worrisome. Earlier this month, Pakistan hosted the ‘International Conference on Girls’ Education in Muslim Communities’ in the federal capital Islamabad. Opening the conference, PM Sharif shared that over 22 million children in Pakistan are not enrolled in schools.

The situation is even more dire in rural regions as compared to urban centers, and the statistics also reveal a lower enrollment rate for girls than boys across most regions – with 49 per cent girl children getting education.

Pakistan had announced an ‘education emergency’ in September last year, on the International Literacy Day. However, the impact of any related policies is yet to be seen.

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While it is encouraging to see that the senior leadership of the country is focusing on AI and education, the continued woes of low enrollment, dilapidated schools, and subpar educational standards present a serious obstacle. The inaccessibility of internet, and restricted access to global academic resources due to bad connectivity further complicate the situation, demanding urgent attention. Resolving these challenges of education and accessibility are crucial for creating a truly effective foundation for adoption of AI.