THE island’s educational landscape is set to undergo a significant technological shift as the Government plans to introduce a number of artificial intelligence (AI) systems modified to support the national curriculum up to the secondary level.

“We’re introducing very shortly the Jamaica Learning Assistant. When this is launched, every child in Jamaica will have a 24-7 AI-powered academic assistant that is tailored to the national curriculum. That’s a big deal,” said Minister of Education Senator Dr Dana Morris Dixon.

Speaking at the inaugural Caribbean Examination Council regional conference at the Jamaica Pegasus hotel in St Andrew on Tuesday, she announced that the tool facilitated dynamic and creative learning, which she says will positively impact students’ academic performances.

Morris Dixon added that the platform was trained to be culturally relevant and adaptive to the unique learning style of each student, providing multiple options for how content can be delivered.

“So you learn something in school, you can go home and you can use the learning assistant to give you more, so this assistant [works] depending on how you learn.

“Some students are very visual, you can ask it to teach you visually. Some of you want to hear stories, you can ask it to tell you stories. Some are a little bit more fun and want to hear jokes, and so you can ask it to tell you jokes. We’ve also taught the AI our dialect — to speak in patois. And so if a student is uncomfortable speaking in English, they can speak to it in patois,” she said.

The minister further told the conference that children with special needs are also being prioritised, noting that the education ministry has implemented programmes for their betterment as well.

“For example, our students at our schools for the blind, we’re having to include more technology there. There are many of our children who are special needs who are now using special programmes where they can actually read the text using technology, so they’re not left behind. And so the object of everything that we’re doing with technology and AI has to be also about inclusion,” explained Morris Dixon.

She stressed, however, that the AI-powered platform is not intended to remove the relevance and impact of teachers, and acknowledged that the system requires careful administration.

“It doesn’t replace a teacher. What it does is it gives you additional tools at home [so] that you can engage with the lessons in the way that you learn — and we know our children learn differently. So, this is how AI and technology can really help in getting to the outcomes you want and ultimately get better Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate and Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination scores, which is really the goal at the end of the day,” she said.

As for teachers, Morris Dixon told the conference that the Government is also piloting a software tool called Eagle Eye, which handles the marking of examination papers.

“Eagle Eye will help our teachers to reprioritise their time from marking to coaching students. Technology will certainly not replace our teachers but it can enhance teaching and it can also free up time to really spend it with our students,” she said, noting that the tool also eliminates possible bias from the process.

Furthermore, Morris Dixon shared that with the support of international partners the Government is in process of rolling out the education management information system, explaining that it provides schools with real-time access to critical data on attendance, performance, and resource management.

She highlighted that data collected through the system will be readily accessible by the education ministry so that informed decisions, for the betterment of institutions, can occur at a quicker rate.

“The question we have before us is not whether AI will enter education — it’s not going anywhere — the question is whether we as leaders have clear frameworks for its responsibilities. Whether we will build digital literacy, not just digital exposure. Whether we will teach students to use powerful tools wisely, critically, and ethically.

“We are small states but we are not without insight, talent or influence. We can create Caribbean solutions for Caribbean realities, and we’ve done it before and I know we can do it again. As minister, I remain convinced that our future and the future of our region will be shaped by what we invest in,” said Morris Dixon.