Across classrooms from Swansea to Lagos, from the Cayman Islands to Ghana, artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly weaving itself into the very fabric of education. The promise is tantalizing: streamlined workloads for teachers, tailored learning experiences for students, and a leap toward digital fluency that could define future generations. Yet, as schools experiment with these powerful new tools, a chorus of voices is urging both enthusiasm and caution, underscoring the need for ethical guardrails, critical thinking, and equity in access.
In Wales, the education watchdog Estyn released a report on October 8, 2025, highlighting both the opportunities and pitfalls of AI in schools. According to BBC, Estyn found that AI can "substantially cut teacher workloads and help pupils learn," with teachers at many schools already using it to plan lessons, draft letters to parents, and write pupil reports. The technology is also being used to generate simplified texts and summarize meeting notes, freeing up valuable time for educators to focus on their students. At Birchgrove Comprehensive School in Swansea, digital and innovation lead Ryan Cresswell explained their proactive approach: "If we see a pupil using it, we encourage them to use it but we encourage them to use it responsibly and that really does have a positive impact."
Yet, this optimism is tempered by real concerns. Some teachers worry that AI could negatively affect students’ skills, particularly if it becomes a crutch rather than a learning tool. The specter of plagiarism and inappropriate use also looms large. Cresswell acknowledged these fears, noting, "The big concerns that we have from staff are obviously that they say 'how do we know that they haven't submitted this work using AI?' The simple answer to that is we know our pupils, we know the work that they're capable of because we see them day in and day out."
Pupils themselves are split. Grace, a 13-year-old at Birchgrove, said, "I think it's useful. Teachers can find out if we're cheating or not but when you use it in the correct way it can help you." Her classmate Maya uses AI to research topics she's curious about, while Emilia double-checks AI-generated answers across other websites. Estyn’s report found that secondary school students are using AI for tasks like summarizing revision notes and creating quiz questions, but adoption varies widely across schools, departments, and individuals.
Estyn's findings echo the broader mood in education: most schools are still "in the early stages of exploring the benefits of AI, with pockets of experimentation led by digitally confident and curious staff." Many teachers are excited about AI’s potential, especially for customizing resources for pupils with additional needs, but they remain wary of issues such as accuracy, bias, and safeguarding risks. The Welsh government has accepted Estyn’s recommendations, promising more staff training and national guidance on implementing AI in education. "It is essential to balance the effective use of gen AI, while prioritising the safety and well-being of our learners and workforce," the government stated.
Meanwhile, in Lagos, a quarterly open conversation titled “Artificial Intelligence: Turning Disruption into Advantage” brought together students, school administrators, and tech leaders to discuss how best to harness AI in education. According to The Guardian Nigeria, Dr. Ama, founder of the ‘Thinking Reimagined’ initiative, explained, "The future of business is in AI. If you’re not using it yet, you’ve got to start now." She emphasized that AI is not just about copying and pasting—it’s about understanding how to prompt it and use it wisely. John Todd of Charterhouse Lagos added a note of caution, warning, "Our biggest worry is that children may begin to use AI simply to answer questions without developing their own understanding." He advocated for responsible use, recognizing AI’s fallibility and the ethics of when it’s appropriate to use it. "To use it with care would be my stand," Todd concluded.
Eric Oliver, CEO of AidTrace and President of WishKnish, spoke to the economic implications for Africa, urging nations to invest in local infrastructure to fully realize AI’s benefits. "The way humans use food and money is the way AI uses energy and data," he explained, noting that while West Africa supplies many of the raw materials for AI hardware, much of the processing happens abroad. Oliver argued that building local capacity could help African nations generate more revenue and technological autonomy.
The call for AI literacy is also resonating in the Caribbean. On October 8, 2025, Eustache Placide, a professor at the University College of the Cayman Islands, wrote in the Cayman Compass that "AI literacy must begin in our schools to prepare students for an AI-driven future." Placide argued that AI literacy is as foundational as reading and math, fostering not only technical skills but also critical thinking, ethical awareness, and confidence. Teachers, he said, are central to this transformation: "They are not just guides who help students question AI outputs, identify bias and make informed, responsible decisions, but they are also conveyors of knowledge."
Placide laid out a roadmap for integrating AI into the classroom at every level, from playful pattern recognition in primary school to debates on privacy and fairness in secondary school, and hands-on coding projects at the university level. Crucially, he highlighted the issue of equity, noting that disparities in device access and connectivity could widen opportunity gaps. "Cayman must ensure that all students, not just those with resources, gain AI literacy," he wrote, advocating for public-private partnerships, community hubs, and targeted teacher training. Pilot programs like the UCCI–Enterprise Cayman Digital Skills Certification Programme demonstrate how collaboration can broaden access and test new approaches before scaling them system-wide.
In Ghana, the government is taking visible steps to embed AI in education while upholding ethical standards. On October 6, 2025, the Dr Leonard Kaledzi Centre of Excellence for Artificial Intelligence Education was officially commissioned at Bleamezado in Anloga Municipality. According to GhanaWeb, Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu used the occasion to urge students to embrace purposeful learning and integrity as Ghana transitions toward a technology-driven future. "The future of our country is yours. Work hard, learn hard, learn purposefully, respect parents, respect teachers, and the world tomorrow is yours. Learn with integrity," Iddrisu told students. He also issued a stern warning to teachers and students alike: unethical conduct, including inappropriate relationships within schools, would not be tolerated. "Even if the teachers are unmarried, relationships within the same school environment are unethical, unacceptable, unprofessional, and compromise our standards in the delivery of quality, sustainable education," he emphasized.
Iddrisu pledged to advocate for improved infrastructure, including better roads for the Anloga area, and declared the new AI centre a significant step in Ghana’s educational journey. The centre is expected to serve as a hub for innovation, digital skills development, and artificial intelligence research, positioning Ghanaian students at the forefront of technological change.
As AI continues to reshape education around the globe, one message rings clear: technology alone is not enough. True progress will require thoughtful guidance, ethical vigilance, and a commitment to ensuring every student—regardless of background—has the skills and values needed to thrive in a future where AI is everywhere.
