President Dr. Irfaan Ali says the growing use of artificial intelligence (AI) is creating new challenges for teachers and forcing the education system to reconsider how students’ work is assessed.
In his message to mark World Teachers’ Day 2026, Ali acknowledged the opportunities presented by AI in the classroom but warned that the technology has complicated the task of determining whether students genuinely understand the work they submit.
“Teachers must increasingly determine whether an assignment reflects a student’s own understanding and effort or has been substantially produced by AI,” the President said.
According to Ali, this means educators will have to reconsider traditional approaches to assessment as AI becomes increasingly accessible to students.
“This requires us to rethink not only how we assess learning, but what learning means in an age of artificial intelligence,” he said.
The President, however, cautioned against rejecting the technology altogether.
He said the focus should instead be on teaching children to use AI responsibly and ensuring that they understand the information it produces rather than simply relying on it for answers.
“The answer is not to reject technology, but to teach our children to use it responsibly, ethically and intelligently—to question information rather than simply accept it, to understand answers rather than merely obtain them, and to exercise sound judgement about when and how technology should be used,” Ali said.
The President noted that Guyana’s education system is undergoing significant changes, with smart classrooms, online resources, digital technologies and AI becoming increasingly integrated into learning.
He said AI, when properly used, could assist teachers with preparing lessons and educational material, adapting instruction to students’ individual needs and making lessons more interactive.
However, Ali maintained that despite those capabilities, technology cannot take the place of educators.
“But technology can never replace the teacher. It cannot replace the wisdom, judgement, empathy and understanding of a teacher,” he declared.
With technology rapidly changing the classroom, Ali said teachers will also have to continuously improve their skills and understanding of emerging technologies.
He said this will require a “new level of pedagogical readiness,” with educators needing to understand not only how new technologies work but how they can be used to improve learning.
Against this backdrop, the President said his government remains committed to expanding training and professional development opportunities for teachers as well as providing the resources needed for the classroom of the future.
He also reiterated commitments to better pay, improved allowances, grants to support teaching and learning and measures aimed at improving teachers’ morale.
Ali urged educators to remain central to the development of the country’s young people by continuing to “inspire minds, shape character and help build the Guyana of tomorrow.”
AI forcing schools to rethink how students are assessed – President Ali
