According to a 2024 report by International Data Corporation (IDC), Artificial Intelligence (AI) will contribute $19.9 trillion to the global economy and drive 3.5 percent of global GDP in 2030. As the world races toward a digitally driven future, integration of AI into school systems is no longer a distant dream but a reality now.
Countries such as South Korea, China, Canada, and the USA are already harnessing the power of AI to transform teaching and learning, improving outcomes and building future-ready workforces.
For Kenya, with its vibrant youth population and growing innovation ecosystem, embracing AI in education isn’t just a forward-thinking strategy but a national imperative.
The future of education must be rooted in adopting, adapting, and evolving. Adding AI to the mix is simply the next step in that journey.
The country should aim to bridge global learning gaps, equip students with critical 21st-century skills, and prepare them for jobs that don't yet exist.
In fact, the government must act swiftly to incorporate AI into its classrooms, a move that promises to revolutionise education through enhancing personalised learning, reducing teacher workloads, and preparing students for a tech-driven future.
What is working for other countries? So far, South Korea stands out as a pioneer in AI education. In 2021, its government announced integration of AI education into the national curriculum, starting as early as elementary school.
According to South Korea’s Ministry of Education, over 5,000 teachers were trained in AI instruction by 2022, and more than 2,000 schools had introduced AI-related subjects.
This bold move is not just about teaching programming; it’s about fostering creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving from a young age.
Likewise, China’s AI education strategy is unmatched in scale. In 2020, over 100 Chinese universities had launched AI majors, and the Ministry of Education rolled out pilot AI programmes in 180 high schools.
The country’s 2017 “Next Generation AI Development Plan” set a target of becoming the global AI leader by 2030, with education at its core. The government has also supported AI-powered tools such as Squirrel AI, which uses adaptive learning to personalise content for each student.
Early data showed that students using such tools improved their learning efficiency by up to 50 percent.
Kenya sits on a demographic goldmine given its over 75 percent youthful population out of the 50 million citizens aged below 35, according to the Kenya Bureau of Statistics.
Yet, the country faces persistent challenges in education, especially overcrowded classrooms, teacher shortages, and varying levels of access to quality learning materials.
Meanwhile, according to a 2016 World Economic Forum report, 65 percent of children entering primary school today will work in jobs that do not yet exist. Kenya’s current curriculum reform through the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) is a step in the right direction.
However, without the integration of future focused technologies like AI, the country risks preparing learners for a past that no longer exists.
Critics may argue that Kenya lacks the infrastructure to support AI integration.
However, the mobile-first nature of Kenya’s digital economy, evidenced by the success of M-Pesa and widespread smartphone penetration shows that scalable digital solutions are possible even with limited resources.
Public-private partnerships, such as those in South Korea and Canada, can be leveraged and benchmarked to equip schools with affordable AI tools and teacher training programmes.
Moreover, ethical concerns about bias and data privacy are valid. That’s why the Kenyan government must establish a national AI education framework grounded in ethics, inclusivity,and transparency.
This will ensure students not only learn how to use AI but also how to question and shape its development responsibly.
The future of education transcends traditional books and classrooms; it's about harnessing intelligent systems and fostering innovation that amplifies human potential.
Integrating AI into the educational framework, Kenya stands to enhance learning outcomes, equip teachers with advanced tools, and prepare students for the demands of the 21st-Century job market.
Public-private Initiatives such as the Ajira Digital Program, a government-led effort in partnership with eMobilis Technology Training Institute and the Kenya Private Sector Alliance (Kepsa) with strategic support from the Mastercard Foundation, are at the forefront of this transformation.
Ajira offers advanced courses such as AI for Graphic Design and AI for Digital Marketing among others, aiming to empower youth with in-demand digital skills and connect them to online work opportunities.
Similarly, eMobilis Technology Institute has recently launched an AI for Software Developers Program, designed to equip developers with practical skills in cutting-edge AI tools like GPT-4 and Claude.
This initiative enables participants to build AI-powered applications and complete capstone projects, positioning them competitively in the evolving tech landscape.
These initiatives exemplify Kenya's commitment to closing the digital divide through homegrown, innovation-led approaches. The time to act is now. Let Kenya not be a late adopter but a bold leader in shaping an AI-driven educational future for Africa.
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