In Kenya, as in many parts of the world, the advent of artificial intelligence (AI) and the urgent need for future-ready digital skills is changing the nature of education.
Most particularly, it is impacting how students are taught, and the skills teachers need to be able to bring to the classroom.
And this is understandable as students progressing through the educational system today are entering into a radically transformed job market, requiring a different set of skills than what has been traditionally included in school curriculums.
New skills for a new world
The challenge is that the pace of change has only accelerated. This is borne out by the advent of Generative AI, which really came to the fore in 2023 with OpenAI’s launch of ChatGPT.
Since then, AI has pervaded multiple industries and businesses alike, changing the nature of work, capturing the public’s imagination, spawning a new category of PC (AI ready PCs) and raising ethical concerns about responsible use of the technology.
As noted by Forbes, 378 million people are projected to use AI tools in 2025. Additionally, AI’s influence extends far beyond individual users, playing a critical role in everything from electoral processes and climate change to the delivery of healthcare.
Now, to be competitive in a very different marketplace to that of their parents, students need to adopt new skills including computational and design thinking, simulation coding and AI, along with soft skills like critical thinking, creativity and the ability to cooperate in teams.
Addressing the rise of AI
To cater to the shifting educational landscape and address the growing need for digital literacy in today’s classrooms, Intel launched its Skills for Innovation (SFI) program, which is intended to empower teachers to impart key digital skills that are needed for the future.
To date, the program has had a positive impact. According to the Skills for Innovation impact report authored by a team from Harvard University, educators reported increased confidence in using technology, while students show greater engagement and future readiness.
According to the Harvard report, 85% of educators surveyed commented that the program significantly increased their confidence in using technology in the classroom, while 86% said that the program prepared them to create technology-infused learning experiences for their students.
Of particular importance, a large majority (86%) reported that the program increased their effectiveness in using technology to cultivate innovation skills and an innovation mindset in their students.
However, digital literacy extends beyond simply knowing how to use technology. Rather, the essence of digital literacy entails creating a deeper understanding in users of online behaviour standards and developing within them an awareness of the potential social issues created by digital technologies.
Responding to the moment
For this reason, this year, AI has become a primary focus in Intel’s Skills for Innovation program, featuring in more than 20 lesson plans. The newest additions to the library of content are an AI course with the three most recent modules: encompassing productivity with AI, accessible learning with AI, and ethical AI in education.
Crucially, the program offers a professional development suite, which is dedicated to upskilling teachers, with more than 80 hours of online, on-demand content. Most pertinently, the program shifts the role of teachers from traditional conveyors of information to mentors and coaches, who guide students through the optimal usage of technology. This is a critical element of success for the program, as students learn from the adults in their ambit, with teachers holding a powerful sphere of influence in their lives.
Starter packs include lesson plans that teachers can download and integrate into their daily lesson plans. The lesson plans are frequently updated, with new starter packs being added throughout the year. And, in keeping pace with the latest technological advances, Intel has enabled over 100 AI applications on AI PCs, including Khan Academy’s Khanmigo.
Another far-reaching impact of the initiative is that by incorporating cutting edge digital technologies into classrooms and curriculums, the status of teaching as a profession in Kenya is being restored.
Given that Africa has the youngest population demographic in the world, and educating the youth is an imperative for the continent’s growth, it is clear to see why teachers play a key role in the continent’s future.
With this in mind, plans are already underway to train an additional 10,000+ teachers, adding to the 2,000 already trained in the use of digital technologies, including AI. For every course a teacher completes, they receive a certificate. And because the SFI program is global, it adheres to a global standard: a teacher in Kenya will have the same training and skills as one anywhere else in the world.
Answering the challenge
However, running the program in Kenya isn’t without its challenges. The main one is the lack of devices, particularly laptops, for teachers to take full advantage of the program. This is currently being addressed by setting up a teacher purchase program for affordable laptops.
By partnering with a willing institution and making it affordable for teachers to purchase their own laptop, there is a beneficial ripple effect for the teacher’s family, who then have access to digital tools and are able to become more digitally literate within the teacher’s household.
By combining access to technology, digital training, and upskilling teachers to rise to the challenge of the digitalised world, we can give the youth the skills they need to succeed in a rapidly changing world. More, we take a step closer to realising Kenya’s potential for greater prosperity while uplifting the continent as a whole.