By Genevieve Azelama
It is fair to say AI is revolutionizing the world around us in every sector, industry, and every part of our daily lives. This is why in South Africa, educators and educational institutions are attempting to explore the use of AI in classrooms to boost the overall learning experiences of students, reduce teachers’ workloads, and solve already existing challenges in the education sector.
In South Africa, AI in education is being explored in several ways, like Maski, an AI-powered assistant that can be accessed through WhatsApp. It helps teachers in generating CAPS-aligned assessments in record time, thereby saving time and letting teachers focus on more personalized learning practices. 
There’s also Tangible Africa’s Chatbot, this tool offers weekly robotics and coding instruction to primary school teachers. It also provides offline-friendly activities, it can be accessed even in places with limited internet. Furthermore, in South African classrooms, the use of multimedia content and natural language processing (NLP) is being encouraged and advanced with the use of AI NLPs’s have been known to boost the overall learning experience of students.
South Africa has put its foot forward in the incorporation of AI in education with initiatives like the Presidential Youth Employment Initiative (PYEI) aimed at training young people as teacher’s aids and promoting reading programs by using AI tools and techniques. Additionally, in 2022, the South African Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, announced the establishment of an Artificial Intelligence Institute, aimed at supporting and promoting the adoption of AI in various sectors, including Education.
It’s exciting to see these advancements, making education more dynamic, inclusive, and personalized. As we look to the future, the potential is endless. South Africa’s education sector is demonstrating that innovation knows no bounds! The nation is setting a powerful example of how technology can improve learning for everyone.
