Pathway: AI in public education

Who this is for

Education officers at district and provincial level, head teachers and principals, deputy heads and school and college administrators: anyone who runs schools or colleges, supervises teachers, handles records or communicates with parents and students in public education.

Students and teachers are already using AI tools, whether or not their institution has said anything about it. This pathway helps you respond with sensible, practical leadership rather than a blanket ban or no rules at all.

What you will be able to do

By the end you will be able to:

• explain in plain words what AI means for schools and colleges, including the opportunities and the risks
• use an AI assistant for timetables, circulars, reports and parent communication, with the right checks
• write clear, workable guidance for teachers and students on AI use
• protect children's and students' personal data, with particular care for age and consent
• design homework and assessment that still measure real learning when AI is easy to reach

How it works

There are five modules. Each takes 10 to 15 minutes and ends with a short exercise and a self-check. Take them in order: later modules build on earlier ones. There is no sign-up, no test and no certificate.

If you are new to AI, start with the operational officers pathway, which covers the everyday basics: what AI is, writing prompts, drafting, summarising and checking output. This pathway assumes you know those basics and applies them to education.

For practice, use only public, non-sensitive material and an AI assistant your department allows. Never use real student information in an exercise.