AI in education in Namibia

(0:00) We'll explore how artificial intelligence is transforming education and what could become (0:05) the smartest classroom in Namibia. From personalized AI tutors and teacher support tools (0:12) to learning in local languages, we examine how technology could help bridge educational gaps (0:19) and unlock new opportunities for every Namibian. Let's dive into it right now.
(0:28) Currently, our challenges are quite huge but not really complex because we can solve them. (0:36) We have more than 700,000 learners in our schools and the ratio between teachers and learners (0:46) between one to 38, which sometimes in certain places it can go up to 50. And (0:53) 40 percent or more or less 40 percent can be more than 40 percent or less than 40 percent of (1:00) our learners fail grade 12.
And we have 13 recognized local languages but that does not (1:11) mean that all our content is in our languages. Most of them are just in English or in Afrikaans. (1:19) This is the reality that AI is working into right now but that also means that the opportunity is (1:27) enormous and it's going to be enormous if access is equal.
So how will AI solve such kind of (1:35) problems? We have three ways that we can use to solve these problems using artificial intelligence (1:41) and one of the ways will be AI tutoring and the other will be AI for teachers and the last one (1:49) will be local language AI. So AI tutoring is personalized teaching at scale. It's bringing (1:59) or adapting to the learners or to the person's speed of learning and methodology of learning.
(2:07) Not everyone learns at the same speed. That's the reason why most people fail. They do not fail (2:14) because they are stupid.
They fail because they do not learn in the same speed as the others (2:19) and sometimes they do not learn in the same or they do not adapt to the methodologies (2:26) of teaching that we have. But artificial intelligence brings this adaptation to them (2:32) and artificial intelligence can teach or can explain things to them in the way that they (2:39) understand and in the speed that they may understand. And artificial intelligence is (2:44) available 24-7.
It doesn't lose patience. It doesn't become angry or stuff like that. (2:51) We can see such solutions at Khan Academy and in Namibia we have some wonderful companies that (3:00) are working into this and we have Yyeni AI that is bringing this personalized teaching to learners (3:07) in our schools.
And talking about AI for teachers, we are not trying to replace teachers. What we are (3:14) trying to do is to upgrade the teachers because AI is able to help the teachers mark tests (3:23) faster than they could and generate personalized homeworks. AI flags struggling students (3:31) before they fall behind so AI can tell the teacher that, okay, this student is actually (3:36) falling behind.
We need to use another methodology of teaching so that he can understand better. (3:43) And AI takes all the admin work from the teacher so that the teacher can focus on more important (3:51) things which are mentorship. So the teacher will be focused on mentoring the students, the learners, (3:57) instead of focusing on admin work which most of the times take a lot of their time.
But one thing (4:04) you must also understand is that AI will never replace the teacher because something great about (4:10) teachers is inspiration and care. These are things that AI cannot be able to give. AI can't give (4:18) that to a student because AI is not a human being.
And we also have local language artificial (4:27) intelligence. So this is where AI is able to speak in Oshiwambo, is able to speak in Oshiwambo, (4:33) in our local languages. We can see that at AISOD Researcher.
You can see contents being generated (4:39) by AI in our local languages. A student who is in Ondangwa, who is probably in grade four, (4:48) will understand math easier if you talk to him in Oshiwambo instead of you trying to (4:57) teach him in English. So when you tell him in English, he has to translate math to Oshiwambo (5:04) and then understand.
But when you tell him straight in Oshiwambo, he doesn't need to do that. (5:07) He will understand the message straight. So we have different technologies like Google and other (5:13) companies that are trying their best to bring Bantu languages into their system.
But in Namibia, (5:21) we have UNAM that could build this library through their language department. And this (5:29) is something that most companies are working at in bringing solutions in Namibia. AI does not (5:37) and will not replace teachers, but it will remove all the burdens that teachers usually have.
(5:45) Right now, we have different tools available, which is MyResearcher, PhotoMath, Duolingo, (5:53) Yyeni AI, Khan Academy. These are platforms that you can use. You can go there today and try it (5:58) for free or at low cost for education or for your kids.
Just try it out and see how AI is (6:07) transforming different solutions. But let me say, our education system is available for different (6:16) solutions. It's also available for many opportunities, both for companies and for (6:22) governments.
Now, there are advantages and there are disadvantages of artificial intelligence. (6:29) And one of them is the personalized learning. AI brings that personalized learning to the learner (6:35) because it adapts to the learner's speed of learning and method or style of learning.
And (6:44) it can teach him in the way that that person will understand better and faster. And it's available (6:51) 24-7. But now, there is a disadvantage to that because of the digital divide.
Digital divide (6:58) is, it happens because people or not everyone has gadgets, not everyone has computers, and not (7:05) everyone has access to internet. And we also have another advantage of artificial intelligence, which (7:12) is rural equity. The same person in Windhoek gets the same, what people in Windhoek get is the same (7:23) that people in rural areas like in Rundu or Ondangwa get.
So, we have teacher support as well. AI (7:34) helps teachers with admin work. While all these good things are there, there are also bad stuff (7:41) because some teachers think that AI will replace their jobs.
So, if you do not address it correctly, (7:46) it may bring a problem, they may go angry with the artificial intelligence instead of receiving it (7:53) or embracing it. And also, AI can bring digital or screen dependency. People can depend on AI more (8:01) than depending on their own intelligence.
And we also spoke about local languages like (8:08) Damara and other languages. So, to sum up, we have Yyeni AI and AISOD Researcher that are bringing great (8:18) innovations in Namibia. We have UNAM that's exploring different solutions.
And we also have (8:22) the Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture that are bringing different opportunities. So, we'll (8:28) watch a quick demonstration here to show a bit on how artificial intelligence is actually (8:37) bringing transformations and talking or communicating in local languages in Namibia. (8:44) So, right now we can see we are trying to communicate to it to give us some content and (8:50) it's giving us some science content.
But then we are also going to request it to give us that (8:56) same content in a local language. So, this is a platform. It's AISOD Researcher or my researcher (9:05) and it's able to give you content both in English and in Africa or in Oshuwambo.
As you can see in (9:13) the screen, right now we are requesting it. And wow, as you can see, it's generating the content (9:21) in our local languages. So, AI is here and we are all set to transform Namibia because we are not (9:31) late.
So, that is it for today. Thank you so much for watching and I want you to remember that (9:43) the future of education is not just about technology. It's about ensuring every learner (9:50) has access to it.
So, join us next week as we explore AI, how it's reshaping healthcare and (10:00) bringing medical expertise closer to every community. (10:05) My name is Joel Tiago and thank you for watching. Stay tuned.