KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC—The Jamaican authorities is testing synthetic intelligence (AI) instruments in faculties to help academics with marking and administrative duties.
“We’ve AI know-how that we’re testing in faculties now, to have AI mark the papers in order that the academics can spend extra time doing what’s necessary, which is interacting with our college students,” stated Schooling, Expertise, Youth and Data Minister Dr. Dana Morris Dixon.
Addressing the Jamaica Lecturers’ Affiliation (JTA) Schooling Convention 2025, Dr. Morris Dixon stated there are plans to launch the Jamaica Studying Assistant, an AI-powered device designed to personalize studying in line with college students’ kinds, whether or not they favor tales, humor, quizzes, or dialogue.
She stated that the know-how is just not a substitute for academics however somewhat a assist device that enhances their capability to ship classes extra successfully.
“So, after you’ve imparted the lesson, they will go, observe, and discover out issues that they by no means understood within the class. They’ll discover it some extra.
“That’s the way forward for schooling we’re working in direction of, one the place AI helps to personalize and enrich studying for each baby,” The Schooling Minister added.
She additionally introduced that Jamaica will open its first state-of-the-art AI lab later this 12 months, offering an area for college kids and academics to develop faculty know-how options.
She referred to as for collaboration with the JTA to combine educators into the broader AI technique. The federal government intends to distribute greater than 15,000 laptops and tablets to college students and 600 good boards for faculties.
Moreover, she stated roughly 25,000 vouchers had been issued to academics to subsidize the acquisition of non-public laptops.
“As educators and policymakers, we should meet our college students the place they’re on this digital panorama and information them to make use of know-how, not only for leisure however for studying and private progress,” the Schooling Minister stated.
JTA President Dr. Mark Smith emphasised the transformative potential of AI in schooling, noting that AI is essentially the most important “technological breakthrough in human historical past” and urging educators to guide the digital transformation.
He additionally requires larger collaboration among the many JTA, the Ministry of Schooling, and the personal sector to advance digital studying initiatives in faculties throughout Jamaica.
“As educators, we now have to have a eager understanding and appreciation for what this new paradigm represents as a result of it is not going to solely be impacting what we do within the classroom, it would influence companies, economies, communities, politics, and life as we all know it,” Dr. Smith stated.
The three-day JTA convention is being held beneath the theme ‘Improvements in Schooling Know-how: The Crucial of Change.’
