Role of AI in the field of education discussed

Muscat: The Sultanate of Oman on Monday hosted the 7th meeting of the GCC Education Ministers’ Committee.

The meeting discussed a wide range of topics, including the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in the field of education, the effects of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) on education and ways to instill principles of financial culture in school students.

Dr. Madiha Ahmed Al Shaibani, Minister of Education, who chaired the meeting, delivered a speech in which she affirmed that the educational work in GCC countries is progressing at a steady pace, inspired by the determination of the countries’ leaders to establish common visions to upgrade education in a manner that better serves the future of the GCC people.

This, she added, underscores the leading role of education in achieving the common objectives, notably sustainable development goals (SDGs).

Dr. Madiha said that, within the framework of a system to foster comprehensive quality, the GCC education sector’s accomplishments are noteworthy and that these efforts, which spearheaded the GCC march, began to yield fruit in reality.

Dr. Madiha pointed out that educational indicators issued by international organisations showed that the GCC countries continued to achieve good results in various international studies, an evidence of which was the rising number of GCC students who obtained advanced standards in areas covered by the respective studies.

The tremendous development in the field of information technology contributed to human advancement and led to the achievement of economic development and social and economic wellbeing, Dr. Madiha said, stressing that “this requires our educational systems to protect moral and religious values and preserve the social structure in our GCC societies”.

Dr. Madiha explained that the meeting coincides with UNESCO’s issuance of the guiding principles for information and communications technology (ICT) in education policies and masterplans.

“The issuance of the guidelines also coincides with the organisation’s celebration of Technical Education Week (in September 2023)”.

For his part, Jassim Mohammed Al Budaiwi, GCC Secretary General, commended the efforts of the GCC Education Ministers’ Committee in lending strong support to the GCC, since its inception in 1975.

Al Budaiwi also valued the efforts of GCC education ministries during the Covid-19 pandemic. This stance reflected the ministers’ ability to deal with disasters within their scopes of action, he added.

The ministers looked into the proposal of the Sultanate of Oman, represented by the Ministry of Education, on issues of priority within the context of the member states’ cooperation and exchange of expertise.

The ministers also underlined the importance of protecting moral, religious, and family values in Gulf societies.

Towards this goal, they stressed the need to utilise the full potential and capabilities of all institutions, including diplomatic, media, educational, cultural, legislative, religious and civil institutions.

The overall objective should be preserving the intactness of the family, the unity of society and member states’ progress and prosperity, the ministers said.