Dr. Dennis Sinyolo, Director of Education International Africa, has emphasized the need for African countries to prioritize pedagogy and human interaction in education over artificial intelligence (AI). Speaking at the 26th Session of the Pan-African Conference on Teacher Education (PACTED) 2026 in Eswatini, Sinyolo stated that AI should complement education, not replace human interaction and critical thinking. He stressed that pedagogy should come before AI, not the other way around.
Sinyolo highlighted the importance of the African concept of Ubuntu, which emphasizes human relationships, tolerance, support, and interconnectedness. He believes that this concept should remain central as education systems adopt AI. According to Sinyolo, Ubuntu is about relating to each other, tolerating each other, and supporting each other, and this cannot be replaced by technology. He warned against allowing the rush to adopt AI to undermine interaction between teachers and learners.
The Director of Education International Africa also raised concerns about the ethical challenges posed by AI, particularly its potential to facilitate academic cheating. He cited an example of a university student who used AI to produce and submit an assignment, subsequently passing, despite not having completed the work. Sinyolo emphasized the need for clear ethical guidelines and regulation of AI in education to prevent such incidents.
Sinyolo stressed that education systems need to maintain their focus on intellectual and cognitive development, including problem-solving, creativity, and innovation. While AI can support these areas, he believes that it should never become a substitute for human thinking. He also cautioned African countries against focusing heavily on AI while basic education infrastructure remains inadequate.
Many schools across the continent still lack classrooms, furniture, electricity, and computers, with some learners forced to study under trees or sit on floors in overcrowded classrooms. Sinyolo questioned whether it is feasible to introduce AI in such schools, given the existing infrastructure challenges. He emphasized that investment in AI needs to take place alongside efforts to address fundamental infrastructure challenges.
Sinyolo called for greater investment in teacher training, including the training of teacher educators who will be responsible for preparing teachers to work with emerging technologies. He believes that empowering teachers to deal with new innovations and developments is crucial. His remarks added to the wider PACTED 2026 discussions on ensuring that technological advancement strengthens, rather than undermines, the human, ethical, and pedagogical foundations of education.
The conference, held at the Palazzo Convention Centre in Eswatini, brought together delegates to discuss the future of teacher education amid rapid technological developments. Sinyolo's address emphasized the need for a balanced approach to education, one that prioritizes human interaction and pedagogy while leveraging the benefits of AI. The discussions at PACTED 2026 highlighted the complexities and challenges of integrating AI into education.
Key points
- Dr. Dennis Sinyolo emphasizes the need for pedagogy to come before AI in education.
- The African concept of Ubuntu should remain central as education systems adopt AI.
- Education systems need to prioritize intellectual and cognitive development, including problem-solving, creativity, and innovation.
