— (Snorre Westgaard is the Delhi-based Chairman of Humana People To People)

Although tech advancement facilitates innovative teaching-learning, it’s critically important to remember that teachers remain central to children’s lives and in the overall education experience

This year on International Education Day (January 24), global focus was on the role of technology and artificial intelligence in education. Although tech advancement facilitates innovative teaching-learning, it’s important to remember that teachers remain central to children’s lives within school and in the overall educational experience. Their role extends beyond mere dissemination of information; they are facilitators of critical thinking, social interaction, and academic development.

Teachers are more than conveyors of knowledge; they are mentors who guide students through the complexities of learning. Their presence in the classroom ensures an environment where students can safely engage in discussion, develop social skills, and receive personalised feedback. Teacher-pupil interaction is critical for generating empathy, cultural awareness, and reasoning, qualities that AI cannot nurture.

Moreover, teachers are adept at recognising the diverse needs of students, adapting pedagogy to suit disparate learning styles, personalities and abilities. This ensures that education is inclusive and equitable, providing all students with opportunity to succeed.

Education thrives in collective settings where students collaborate, share ideas, and learn from each other. Bricks-and-mortar classrooms serve as microcosms of society, teaching students how to communicate effectively, resolve conflict, and work in teams. These social skills are essential for personal and professional success in adult life.

The community character of teaching-learning also enhances cognitive development. Discussions and group activities encourage students to think critically, develop broader perspectives, and in-depth understanding of subjects. Such interactive learning experiences are difficult to replicate in solitary, computer or device-based environments.

Humana People to People (HPP), of which I am Chairman, exemplifies the importance of teacher-led, community-centric education. Operating in 46 countries across five continents, last year HPP implemented over 1,584 development projects, reaching more than 17.9 million people. Moreover, HPP has trained over 65,000 teachers to work in government primary schools in several countries including India, Mozambique, Angola, Malawi, Zambia, DRC and Guinea Bissau. Our teacher training courses typically span one to three years, and our pedagogy emphasises that teachers must create spaces where students actively drive and navigate their own learning within collective settings.

In India, apart from teacher education, HPP’s initiatives focus on closing students’ learning gaps through bridge education and accelerated learning programmes combined with holistic development. The pedagogy of our programmes such as Kadam and Balvatika 3 are aligned with India’s National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, emphasising not only cognitive development but also character and skills development. These programmes are designed to bring out-of-school children (age 7-14) back to school, as also to close learning gaps for in-school children through  personalised and self-driven education.  

Central to HPP’s approach is the belief that education should be rooted in the community and facilitated by trained educators familiar with local context. This ensures that learning is relevant, culturally sensitive, and capable of addressing specific challenges confronting the community.

Therefore we believe that while technology and AI can enhance educational resources, they should complement, not replace, the human element of teaching. Teachers provide the emotional intelligence, ethical guidance, and social context that machines cannot. They are irreplaceable in helping students navigate vast information and data guiding them to think critically about data sources, context, and their implications.

For us, addressing global challenges such as climate change and social equity within the educational framework is also essential. Unesco’s report, ‘Transforming Education for Climate Action’, provides a roadmap for integrating climate education into curricula. It endorses the role of teachers in generating awareness about environmental stewardship. 

Teachers are pivotal in contextualising these global issues, highlighting their relevance to students’ lives, and inspiring them to take action. Through project-based learning and community involvement, teachers can empower students to contribute to sustainable development and social justice.

As we navigate the integration of technology and AI in education, it is vital to reaffirm the central role of teachers. They are the cornerstone of effective education systems, providing the human connection, adaptability, and contextual comprehension that technology cannot replicate. Even as education becomes increasingly infused with technology, it’s important to bear in mind the profound impact of teacher-led, community-focused education. To ensure that education remains a transformative force for individuals and societies alike, it is critically important to acknowledge and preserve human agency.

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