The Minister of Education, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, has called on various institutions to take a deliberate approach towards the use of the fast growing Artificial Intelligence (AI) to aid the country’s socio-economic development.
Speaking at an opening day training workshop on AI organized by the University of Environment and Sustainable Development (UESD) in collaboration with the Yonsel University of South Korea, Dr. Adutwum said the country should consider investing in AI to be able to take advantage of the emerging AI revolution, currently sweeping across the globe.
The minister noted that although AI has its own disadvantages, it is has numerous opportunities and advantages.
“AI can be a learning tool, as well as what I call a tool to be learned. If you look at the world economic forum and the projection it is making, we are going to lose 85 million jobs by the next few years and within the same period, 97million jobs are going to be created through AI”, he said.
On the theme; “AI, ICT, and the Future of Education in Ghana 2024”, Dr. Adutwum also mentioned that, universities offering ICT courses must align their programmes to meet the changing phase of ICT education which includes adopting and taking AI seriously.
“Government had prioritized AI and ICT through a number of interventions to ensure that students conform to future standards. These interventions are the construction of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) schools in all ten regions in addition to centres across existing schools”, he emphasized.
In addition to these, the minister said government is transforming the learning environment at the junior high school level by constructing modern and fit for purpose school buildings across the country.
A Professor at the Yonsei University, Jan Saeng Kim who also graced the occasion said the collaboration between the two universities is to explore opportunities within the AI space in Ghana, for development adding that AI has become a key feature in terms of technology and development.
He also assured academics, teachers, students and other stakeholders in the education sector present at the workshop of his country’s willingness to partner with Ghana’s education sector for the development of Artificial Intelligence.
