Some attendees at the 2nd International Conference on Re-shaping Education for Sustainable Development, held by the University of Rwanda’s College of Education from May 13-15, noted that the conference’s discussions are very enlightening, particularly regarding the efficient utilisation of AI in education and research during the 4th and 5th Industrial Revolution.

This conference brought together educational researchers, practitioners, and policymakers from around the world to discuss and exchange insights on shaping the landscape of education in the 21st Century.

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Susan Pembe Ikona, a student at the University of BUEA in Cameroon, who attended the conference for the last three days, said she has learned how to use AI as a tool rather and believes it should be accepted as an aide to human intelligence.

"The important lesson I learned is that artificial intelligence (AI) is not our enemy but rather our ally and that for us to coexist in this evolving world, we must influence scientific research internally and ensure that it has an impact on society by influencing policy decisions and ensuring its sustainability,” Ikona added.

John Ndiritu, a scientific committee member at Kenyatta University, believes that Africans must develop African answers to education technology, particularly AI.

"We were discussing the challenges and impact of artificial intelligence, many people proposed numerous obstacles, as well as the impact. But my takeaway is that artificial intelligence is already with us, we either like it or don’t. And I was thinking, while we argue the benefits and drawbacks of AI, the folks who create it are already at another level, developing another tool,” Ndiritu said.

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Jenny Hayman, keynote speaker from the University of Toronto-Canada, discussed some of the issues of funding to develop a big language model administered by African countries.

Furthermore, she noted that funding for internet access in rural and urban regions would be beneficial for educational purposes.

"We need infrastructure and access; on the other hand, we need information, devices, and all of that. And they will work together very well to help us achieve inclusive education,” Hayman said.

The Fifth Industrial Revolution is about using artificial intelligence and programming skills to run machinery or equipment guided by artificial intelligence, but it is also about having quick and effective access to information.

Florien Nsanganwimana, host and UR-CE principal, believes that education is a fundamental right that should be accessible to all without prejudice.

"So we’ve been able to talk about how we can achieve diversity in education. Second, you are aware that we are in the Fifth Industrial Revolution, which may overlap with the Fourth Industrial Revolution,” Nsanganwimana said.

Nsanganwimana added: "As educators and teachers, we must ensure that they have the necessary exposure to that tool, as well as the skills to develop systems that use artificial intelligence, to provide services to humanity rather than being consumers or observers of those technologies.”