How might we create policies and programmes that enable the use of AI in education while protecting learners and national priorities? Realising the benefits of AI in education, while managing its risks, calls for collaboration across public, private, and civic actors, supported by strong public oversight and safeguards (Molina et al., 2024; World Bank, 2024). As ‘Big Tech’ companies expand…
At EdTech Hub’s AI Observatory, we are creating a space where teachers in low- and middle-income countries can shape how AI is used in education. Our goal is not only to amplify their experiences, concerns, and hopes, but to turn them into action. Through our Teacher-in-the-Loop survey, we asked teachers for their views on AI in education, and more than…
This summary discusses the conversation from a virtual meeting that covers lessons and what worked with the Sierra Leone GIS preference matching algorithm and lessons from other regions including South America. Sierra Leone faces long-standing teacher deployment challenges: too few qualified teachers in the rural and remote schools, high turnover in certain regions, subject specialist shortages, and striking underrepresentation of…
How might we connect and automate governance processes to overcome capacity gaps and gain efficiency and learning? Traditional ways of tackling problems in the public sector are being challenged in an era of rapid change (Bjarnason et al., 2024), while skills shortages in education systems remain pronounced in many low- and middle-income countries (UNESCO, 2024). EdTech Hub’s AI Observatory is…
How might we optimise ‘behind the scenes’ tasks at every level of the education system? Governments and administrators are increasingly using AI to improve efficiency (OECD, 2024; Rahman & Freeman, 2025). Yet, the challenge lies in integrating these technologies in ways that build trust, safeguard data, and align with human values. EdTech Hub’s AI Observatory is exploring how ministries of…
Imagine stepping into Tanzanian rural schools full of potential where every teacher’s voice can shape brighter futures. Yet a significant portion of female teachers rarely lead discussions, make decisions, or even ask questions. Our two-year Empowering Teachers Initiative journey revealed a hidden gender gap in teacher professional development, tied to family responsibilities, traditional norms and digital access. Women are handling…
How might we enhance education by using AI to make school management and processes more efficient and effective? The conversation on AI in education has focused on classrooms and learning tools — and that’s a good thing. But we’re missing another frontier: the power of AI to make the administrative systems that support education smarter, faster, and more effective. EdTech…
This blog summarises reflections from Educators Shaping Futures, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. A Global Moment for Strengthening Teacher Support On November 3-4 in Addis Ababa, the Educators Shaping Futures event, co-hosted by the World Bank, Florida State University, the Ethiopian Ministry of Education, and UNESCO, was a global knowledge exchange aiming to raise awareness and build coalitions for change for stronger…
This summary discusses the conversation from a Community of Interest event on Artificial Intelligence for Assessment and Evaluation, a collaboration by the World Bank and EdTech Hub’s AI Observatory and Action Lab, supported by FCDO. AI is changing how we know what students are learning. It is already impacting assessments ranging from formative classroom-based evaluations to large-scale system diagnostics. To…
How might we help teachers build more engaging, adaptive learning experiences, ensuring no student is left behind? Where teachers are using AI, it is often limited to automating routine tasks rather than as a transformative force in their teaching (Teacher Task Force, 2025). There is a narrow view of AI primarily as tools designed to automate or replace core teaching…
