International Day of Education – AI and education: Preserving human agency in a world of automation

International Day of Education – AI and education: Preserving human agency in a world of automation
Celebrated or marked annually on January 24, the International Day of Education, emphasizes the role of education in fostering peace and development. This year, the theme “Artificial Intelligence and Education: Preserving Human Agency in a World of Automation” focuses on the intersection of artificial intelligence (AI) and education, highlighting the need to balance technological advancements with human-centered learning and decision-making.

Artificial Intelligence has revolutionized learning through personalized curricula, virtual tutors, and enhanced accessibility to different educational materials from around the world. It enables data-driven insights for educators to improve teaching outcomes and tailor learning experiences to the various needs of their students or learners. Human agency ensures individuals retain control over their decisions and actions, even in automated systems. Education must emphasize critical thinking, ethics, and creativity to complement AI’s capabilities. AI can support lifelong learning opportunities, ensuring individuals stay relevant in a rapidly changing job market.

This theme underlines the transformative potential of AI while stressing the irreplaceable value of human agency in fostering a balanced, equitable, and ethical educational landscape. Since 2020, ACLAD has provided mobile devices, solar lights and mobile chargers as well as internet bundles to enhance connectivity to our sponsored children and youth in secondary school in Kilifi, Kajiado and Kakamega to enable them access learning resources and teaching support through Zoom, WhatsApp and Google Classroom. We have also supported those young scholars we sponsor in tertiary institutions – colleges and universities in Kilifi, Mombasa, Bungoma, Nyamira and Kakamega with laptops to ensure they are able to do assignments on time and remain digitally literate as they continue with their courses of choice.

Catherine Muteithia
Communications and Research Operations Officer, ACLAD