Daily Times

The use of Artificial intelligence (AI) powered platforms is gaining pace. Quite recently, platforms like ChatGPT have taken the world by storm and since then, AI-powered platforms have seen a significant uptake. While the possibilities of AI are endless, its transformative potential can help Pakistan address one of its most pertinent, longstanding issues, that of illiteracy. UNICEF statistics highlight the gravity of this challenge. There are 22.8 million out-of-school children (aged 5-16) in Pakistan, representing 44% of the total population in this age group. This includes the 5 million out-of-school children aged 5-9 and 11.4 million out-of-school children aged 10-14, all deprived of formal education. With over 50% of the population lacking basic literacy skills, illiteracy stands as a significant barrier to progress and development. However, the advances in AI and its quick adoption promise to bridge the educational gap by empowering communities, especially those belonging to rural areas of Pakistan.

The majority of Pakistan’s population resides in rural regions, and statistics show that the number of children living in these areas is nearly double the count in urban centres. These children often belong to underprivileged families, and face numerous barriers preventing them from accessing high-quality education. These challenges include, among others, long distances to schools, poor infrastructure, household responsibilities, and gender discrimination in enrolment. However, the challenges are not limited to children only. There are serious challenges that exist on the “supply side of education” too. Glaringly, 43% of government school teachers lack formal training, almost 58% are unaware of the national curriculum, and 73% have not undergone any assessment technique courses during pre-service training. The lack of qualified teachers has resulted in poor student learning outcomes (SLA), which is reflected by the fact that only one out of every 120 students enrolled in community schools of rural areas demonstrates basic reading skills. This highlights the urgency to address not only enrollment but also the quality of education if we are to uplift these children and equip them for a brighter future.

AI presents an incredible opportunity to tackle some of the key challenges in the educational system.

Today, AI offers a promising remedy to this challenge, presenting an opportunity to complement teachers (or on occasion substitute them) and provide interactive, personalized learning experiences. This will enable us to impart an education that suits individual learning needs and styles, thereby improving quality and increasing accessibility. The integration of AI into the education system offers numerous advantages. Foremost, AI can help tackle the shortage of qualified educators in Pakistan. The current teacher-student ratio of 1:41 is significantly higher than the recommended ratio of 1:30, and therefore, students are devoid of the individual attention and support they need for academic learning. By adopting AI-driven educational platforms, educational institutions can ensure access to high-quality teaching and learning resources, even in areas where there is a scarcity of human teachers.

Secondly, AI can offer a personalized learning experience to students and make education more accessible. Its adaptability to cater to individual learning needs and styles allows for tailored feedback and guidance, helping students who struggle with traditional teaching methods or have specific learning requirements. Additionally, AI can provide instant feedback on students’ progress, enabling them to identify areas of improvement and take corrective action. More importantly, AI can help students overcome the language barrier. This is particularly applicable to a country like Pakistan, where children grow up learning local languages but are impeded by the use of English as a mode of education at schools. AI-powered educational tools can help students overcome this challenge as lessons can be delivered in local languages.

Thirdly, the use of AI can help optimize investments in education and provide cost savings. Unlike traditional teaching methods that require significant investments in school infrastructure, teacher salaries and training, AI teaching platforms can be developed, deployed, and operated at a much lower cost. This cost-effectiveness will make education more accessible and affordable to a broader range of students, including those from underprivileged communities, creating a more inclusive educational ecosystem. Finally, AI can significantly enhance teachers’ training, leading to more effective and skilled educators. It can provide personalized professional development programs for teachers based on their individual strengths and weaknesses. It can analyze vast amounts of educational data to identify trends, best practices, and areas for improvement in teaching methods.

Daptio and Eneza Education are two remarkable AI-driven learning platforms that have made significant strides in transforming education in sub-Saharan Africa, a region where online learning is still at an early stage. Daptio focuses on assisting students, mentors, and teachers in assessing the capacity of each individual and seamlessly matching relevant content to their needs. This approach enables remote learning through a tailored curriculum, swift identification of strengths and weaknesses, and providing targeted guidance to bridge knowledge gaps. On the other hand, Eneza Education is making education accessible to even the most remote and underprivileged areas in Africa. This platform offers a range of mobile lessons, interactive quizzes, and a unique “Ask-A-Teacher” feature that provides live support through web communication or SMS messages.

The use of AI has also evidently improved student learning outcomes. In the case of Daptio and Eneza Education, students who have used these apps for over nine months have reported a noteworthy 23% improvement in academic performance.

Pakistan can draw valuable insights from AI-driven platforms such as Daptio and Eneza Education. By leveraging technology, Pakistan can drastically enhance access to and quality of learning. The success of Eneza’s SMS-based learning approach in Africa, which has reached an impressive 10.2 million learners (of which 70% reside in rural regions) is a case in point for Pakistan. With 82.2% of its population having access to mobile connectivity, Pakistan can accrue the benefits of technological advancement and extend the benefits of education to remote and underserved communities. Such initiatives can be imperative in addressing the educational disparities prevalent in the country. AI presents an incredible opportunity to tackle some of the key challenges in the educational system. However, the success lies in using AI as a complementary tool to education, rather than a stand-alone solution.

The writer is a Project Consultant at World Bank and a Teaching Fellow in the Department of Economics at LUMS.