PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC) — The Trinidad and Tobago Government has launched the first two artificial intelligence (AI) assisted digital textbooks for form one students on government-issued laptops.

The country’s Education Minister, Dr Michael Dowlath, said that apart from Mathematics and Language Arts, four more digital textbooks are expected to be added before the new academic year begins in September.

He said the six digital textbooks would save parents of students in forms one and two an estimated TT$1,500 at the start of the next academic year, and reduce heavy book bags.

“So today is historic, where we are launching the first two of our AI-assisted digital books for form one students. And what is most important, all of these digital textbooks can work offline. By the end of this term, we are adding four more digital books.”

The additional books, which will be available in August, will cover the subjects Science, Information Technology, Social Studies and Spanish.

“We will have those six books ready for you at the form two level. For form one and form two parents, you will save between TT$1,000 and TT$1,500 in your purchase of textbooks for the next academic year,” he said.

Dowlath said that the digital textbooks were not intended to replace teachers but to support and strengthen their ability to deliver the curriculum in more exciting ways, adding that with expanded internet connectivity, students will be able to access the NALIS Library database and several other programmes.

He said these interactive textbooks were developed by the Trinidad and Tobago Ministry of Education and designed to assist both students and parents, and that the lessons are guided by avatars to assist children when studying at home.

“You will have the kind of resources where students during school and after school can interact with that AI avatar and ask questions about their academic work,” he said, adding that the curriculum was aligned with the Ministry of Education, which means that the topic outlined will be the same as those required up to form five level.

Dowlath said the AI-assisted programme is part of the ministry’s broader Education Digital Transformation Plan, to upgrade connectivity in primary and secondary schools and that Cabinet had recently approved expanded internet service to all secondary schools in Trinidad.

He said the AI programme would also provide assistance to teachers as the digital books are equipped with videos to enhance both teaching and learning. And all programmes, he said, would also be used by students with learning challenges, including visual and hearing-impaired.

“So imagine a math student having difficulty with a math problem and on the way home was thinking about it, as soon as he reaches home he open his laptop, pull up the textbook, talk to the avatar and ask the question.

“The hard copy textbooks have their advantages but the AI support textbooks allow you [to] interact and continue learning beyond normal school time,” he said, noting that within three years the ministry is expected to develop AI textbooks for all levels of secondary school, and even primary schools.