Bangladesh’s Education Minister, A.N.M. Ehsanul Hoque Milon, has brought forth a refreshing perspective in the ongoing education discussions by emphasizing the importance of foundational skills like reading, reasoning, and critical thinking over the rush towards artificial intelligence (AI) integration in education. This viewpoint was shared during Unesco’s Digital Learning Week 2026 in Paris, where Milon highlighted the necessity for children to possess these essential skills to effectively and safely utilize AI technologies.
Unlike the trend of equating technological advancement with educational progress, Milon stressed the significance of evaluating the impact of AI based on learning outcomes, equity, safety, cost-effectiveness, and its effects on teachers’ workloads. He emphasized the need for teachers to be actively involved in decision-making processes related to AI implementation, evaluation, and corrections, ensuring that automated systems do not independently dictate important educational decisions.
The focus on prioritizing foundational skills before embracing AI was echoed at Unesco’s roundtable discussion, which centered on maintaining the public purposes of education amidst the AI era. The deliberations emphasized key aspects such as safety, age-appropriate usage of AI, procurement processes, data protection, and total ownership costs, highlighting the need for public oversight and accountability in AI integration within educational settings.
As Bangladesh gears up to introduce AI, robotics, and cybersecurity concepts in school curricula, there is a crucial emphasis on addressing learning poverty and enhancing foundational literacy and numeracy skills among students. The government’s strategic framework aims to reduce learning poverty levels significantly by 2030, recognizing that a strong foundation in basic skills is essential for students to effectively engage with advanced technologies like AI.
Moving forward, there is a call for a systematic approach to address learning gaps through structured support in reading and numeracy for struggling learners. The emphasis is on integrating remedial education into regular classroom practices, teacher training, and educational programs to ensure that every child receives the necessary support to build a strong educational foundation.
In the quest for AI readiness, there is a proposed model where AI tools complement teachers in identifying learning gaps, adapting materials, and streamlining administrative tasks. The pilot programs are expected to prioritize inclusivity, transparency in costs and data management, and active teacher involvement in the design and evaluation process.
Furthermore, the discussion highlights the importance of considering costs and sovereignty in AI integration, advocating for frugal, interoperable, and locally adaptable systems to avoid dependency on costly imported solutions. The focus is on leveraging AI tools to enhance educational outcomes while maintaining control over data and costs.
In conclusion, the government’s push towards modernizing the curriculum to include AI technologies should be accompanied by a strong foundation in basic skills, teacher empowerment, and a clear educational purpose for technology integration. By ensuring that every AI initiative in education addresses fundamental questions regarding its educational impact, readiness of students, benefits, teacher involvement, and costs, Bangladesh can pave the way for a successful integration of AI in education while prioritizing core educational principles.
