Time to invest in training teachers in AI, robotics and coding
WHAT crime on earth did Zimbabwe commit against the United States?
We are not fools. We are not dim wits. The United States has never been our friend. It will never be. Like elders with cotton tuft hair would put it back in my village, we must never expect honey from a fly. Let us expect the fetid stuff.
Instead of applauding Zimbabwe for making commendable efforts to clear its debt arrears with the international community, the US has sought to sabotage the whole process. And, the reason for the walk out, is a straightjacket regime change: opposition leader Nelson Chamisa should have won the August 2023 elections, for Zimbabwe to be considered a US friend.
It is all crass politics, where the US wants ZANU PF out of power at all costs and replace it with a puppet opposition it is has created, configured and reconfigured again and again, again and again, and again and again without success. Again!
The US, through its embassy in Harare, has announced its withdrawal from Zimbabwe’s Debt Recovery project in protest of its preferred candidate Chamisa losing the elections. What crass?
This is brazen regime change, clear bullying and blatant disregard of the sovereignty of Zimbabwe. This is big brother mentality and clear economic sabotage. History will judge one US leader after another for making the people of Zimbabwe suffer through illegal economic sanctions and political chicanery.
Zimbabwe, in arrears on servicing its debts, is engaging development partners to clear outstanding amounts to multilateral development institutions, including the African Development Bank (AfDB), the World Bank, and the European Investment Bank. This should be good news to all progressive people, organisations and nations.
Now the US which participated in the initial stages has announced it’s withdrawal, in a move meant to tarnish the credibility of the debt clearance process. How has Chamisa become so important to the US that it withdraws from an international process because Chamisa lost the election in August last year?
Why does the US want Zimbabwe not to
ARTIFICIAL intelligence (AI), robotics and coding are transforming the world we live in.
They are creating new opportunities and challenges for various sectors, including education.
Government has recognised this and is introducing robotics and coding in schools, aiming to prepare learners for the future and boost the country’s development.
But what about the teachers? How can they effectively teach these subjects and integrate them into the curriculum?
Teachers in Zimbabwe need to be taught AI, robotics and coding before the three are introduced in the new curriculum, and that this will benefit not only the teachers themselves, but also the learners and the society.
Teaching the teachers AI, robotics and coding is also a matter of equity and inclusion.
According to a recent report by UNESCO, only 45 percent of African countries have a national policy or strategy for AI, compared to 74 percent of European countries.
This gap reflects the unequal access to and use of AI and related technologies across the world, which may exacerbate existing inequalities and marginalisation.
By providing teachers with the necessary training and resources, Zimbabwe can ensure that its students are not left behind in the global AI race, and that they can benefit from the opportunities and innovations that these technologies offer.
Teachers need to learn AI, robotics and coding to enhance their own digital literacy and competence. These fields are not only technical, but also interdisciplinary, requiring knowledge and skills from various domains, such as mathematics, science, engineering, design, ethics and social sciences.
Through learning AI, robotics and coding, teachers can develop their own understanding of these fields and their applications, as well as their ability to use them creatively and critically.
This will enable them to keep up with the rapid changes in technology and society, and to adapt to the evolving demands of the labour market.
Moreover, teaching the teachers AI, robotics and coding can enhance their motivation and satisfaction.
These fields are dynamic and evolving, requiring continuous learning and adaptation. Exposing teachers to new and exciting developments and challenges will enable Zimbabwe to foster a culture of lifelong learning and curiosity among its educators.
This can also increase their confidence and self-efficacy, as they can master new skills and knowledge, and apply them in their teaching.
Engaging teachers in the design and implementation of robotics and coding curricula will ensure Zimbabwe can empower them to have a voice and a stake in the educational reform and innovation.
To improve their pedagogical practice and outcomes, teachers need to learn AI, robotics and coding.
These fields offer new possibilities and tools for teaching and learning, such as adaptive learning systems, educational robots, gamification, data analytics and feedback.
By learning AI, robotics and coding, teachers can explore how to use these technologies effectively and ethically in their classrooms, and how to design engaging and meaningful learning experiences for their students.
This will enhance the quality and relevance of education, and foster the development of 21st century skills such as problem-solving, creativity, collaboration and communication.
Without learning AI, robotics and coding, teachers will not be able to promote ethical awareness and responsibility among their students and themselves.
These fields raise important ethical issues and dilemmas, such as privacy, security, bias, fairness, accountability and transparency.
Learning AI, robotics and coding will help teachers to understand the ethical implications and challenges of these technologies, and how to address them in their teaching and learning.
This will also enable the teachers to cultivate ethical values and attitudes among their students, and to prepare them for the ethical use of AI and data in education and beyond.
Teachers that are well versed in AI, robotics and coding can be role models and mentors for their students.
These fields are often perceived as difficult, elitist or male-dominated, which may discourage some students, especially girls and minorities from pursuing them.
Through showing teachers that they can learn and enjoy these subjects, and by providing them with diverse and relatable examples of AI and robotics experts and practitioners, Zimbabwe can challenge these stereotypes and biases, and encourage more students to explore and pursue these fields. Teachers can also use their own learning experiences to empathise with their students’ struggles and successes, and to provide them with personalised and constructive feedback and guidance.
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Jacqueline Ntaka is the CEO of Mviyo Technologies, a local tech company that provides custom software development, mobile applications and data analytics solutions.
Feedback : jackie.ntaka@mviyo.com.
A lack of action to check key emission sources is robbing Africans of their health.
Africa is responsible for about 4 percent of global carbon dioxide emissions causing climate change. The resultant air pollution has a strong impact on public health.
In 2019, air pollution caused 1.1 million premature deaths on the continent.
Deaths mainly occurred from cooking with wood and charcoal (almost 700 000 premature deaths), and poor outdoor air quality (almost 400 000 premature deaths).
Air pollution particularly affects children.
About 56 percent of global air pollution-linked infant deaths occur in Africa (383 000 infant deaths).
Sources of air pollution and emissions that cause climate change strongly overlap in Africa.
They include fuels used for cooking, transportation, power generation