Gain leverage in an AI-driven economy

AI in Education: Why We Need Transformation, Not Just Improvement

By Maria Mercedes Mateo-Berganza Diaz

Highlights

We are educating for a world that no longer exists: AI is being layered onto systems designed for a pre-digital era, even as evidence shows technology is already reshaping cognition, learning patterns, and mental health.

Incremental improvement misses the scale of the challenge: using AI to optimize existing practices cannot address the learning crisis, inequality, or relevance; only system-level transformation can.

Future value depends on strong foundations plus human judgment: education must prioritize general skills that enable complex, “messy” work—where execution, reasoning, and adaptability remain beyond AI.

We stand at a rare moment in history: a chance to fundamentally reimagine education for a world that technology has already transformed.

This is not a distant future: it is the reality we are living now and there is no way back. Recent work, including the book Artificial Intelligence and Education in the Global South, brings this urgency into sharp focus, reminding us that the central question is no longer whether AI belongs in education. 

Technology has already reshaped how we learn, think, and work. The real opportunity lies in understanding what this moment demands of us: not incremental improvements to existing systems, but genuine transformation—one that prepares students for work and life in an AI-augmented world.  Here's what the latest research tells us about getting this right.  We're not simply adding AI to education. We're introducing it into a world already fundamentally reshaped by technology—and that distinction matters profoundly.

The Reality We're Already Living

Consider how dramatically our world has shifted. In the 1930s, we spent most of our time with family and friends. Today, we spend 60% of our time online. Misha Rubin’s animation illustrates the evolution of how humans spend their time between 1930 and 2024. Recent research reveals that infant screen exposure (children 0-2) has lasting impacts on brain development and adolescent mental health, with higher infant screen time showing accelerated maturation of brain networks. This acceleration isn't beneficial—certain brain networks develop too quickly, before establishing the efficient connections needed for complex thinking, potentially limiting flexibility and resilience later in life. 

For adolescents navigating critical prefrontal cortex development, the effects of social media, cyberbullying, and isolation are equally concerning. And a 2025 MIT study demonstrated that over-reliance on AI tools for cognitive tasks creates what researchers call "cognitive debt": reduced neural engagement, impaired memory recall, and weaker sense of essay ownership among students who used AI support to develop essays.

Improvement vs. Transformation

This context demands more than incremental change. Educational improvement—using AI to make existing practices slightly more efficient or support teachers in current frameworks—is insufficient. These improvements are localized, difficult to scale, and fundamentally maintain the status quo. 

What we need is educational transformation: systemic change that addresses our most fundamental challenges—the learning crisis, inequality, and relevance—at scale and sustainably.   Transformation requires complete systemic alignment across curriculum, teaching methods, assessment, and governance. 

Simply put: improvement optimizes parts of the system.  Transformation changes how the system works.

Balancing Foundations and Futures

The key lies in understanding how human capital actually develops.  A 2023 paper, "Deconstructing Human Capital to Construct Hierarchical Nestedness" analyzed U.S. occupational data and revealed that human capital is hierarchically structured, not flat.  The research identifies two types of specialized skills:

- Un-nested specialized skills can be acquired without a strong general foundation, but they offer limited economic returns.

- Nested specialized skills build upon robust general capabilities.  These are associated with career progression and significant wage premiums.  Premium workers don't simply pile up narrow skills; they deepen general competencies with strategic specializations.

The conclusion is clear: to construct valuable specialized skills, workers and economies must first invest in strong general skills.  Specialization without this foundation delivers weaker economic returns.

The Choice Between Single-Task and Messy Jobs

Professor Luis Garicano offers a complementary insight about the future of work.  We face a fundamental choice between two job paths:

Single-task jobs are increasingly vulnerable.  AI excels at automating well-defined, single tasks.  While humans remain in the loop today due to error rates that still persist in many fields (preventing unsupervised AI), those errors are decreasing rapidly.

Messy jobs, those combining multiple tasks, judgment, local knowledge, relationships, and real-world execution, are far more resilient.  AI doesn't thrive at these kinds of tasks.

Garicano's conclusion: take the messy job, where learning, judgment, and execution matter, because that's where humans will retain value and gain leverage in an AI-driven economy.

What This Means for Education

If we want AI to augment humans rather than replace them, we must balance foundational learning and core competencies with emerging specialized skills.   Students need strong general skills as the foundation for developing nested specialized capabilities that lead to resilient, complex work.

AI commoditizes codified knowledge, but it doesn't replace execution, coordination, empathy, political navigation, or tacit knowledge.   These uniquely human capabilities flourish in environments that demand judgment, synthesis, and adaptive thinking.

The Path Forward

This isn't about making our current education system work slightly better.  It's about fundamentally rethinking what education means in a world where technology has already transformed how we think, learn, and work. 

The question isn't whether to use AI in education.  It's whether we'll transform our educational systems to prepare students for a world where their value lies not in what they know, but in how they think, connect, adapt, and execute in messy, complex, human contexts.  

That's the transformation we need.

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We invite you to explore the IDB’s report on Artificial Intelligence and Education, that examines the role of artificial intelligence through the lens of what we already know from decades of digital education. Across Latin America and the Caribbean, teachers and school leaders are asking the same question: How can we use artificial intelligence to help every student learn better? In this blog we share how 193 real AI initiatives are already transforming teaching, inclusion, and school management, and what it means for the future of education.   

Also, discover how teachers across the region are already integrating AI into their classrooms — based on new data from CIMA Note #37, drawn from the international TALIS 2024 survey.

Source

The Sacred Honour of Emancipation

Celebrate Emancipation

Deo Adjuvante, Non Timendum

“With God as My Helper, I Have Nothing to Fear”

Appreciating Our Emancipation

By Dr. Kevin J. Turnquest-Alcena
Nassau, NP, The Bahamas

Emancipation is a profound reflection on the brutal enslavement of Africans forcibly brought to the Americas.  We must never forget the arduous journey of our ancestors, as history remains a vigilant reminder of our resilience and collective strength.  Today, racism and fascism loom ominously, rearing their heads in ways reminiscent of past oppressions.  Many individuals harbor intentions rooted in repeating the dark chapters of history, aspiring to once again subjugate Black people.

In confronting such threats, we must steadfastly remember the significance of emancipation—where we originated, where we stand today, and where we must venture tomorrow.  We must remain acutely aware that slavery was a mere six generations past, yet its scars remain palpable in our contemporary societies.  Nations throughout Latin America are persistently entangled in structural apartheid, exemplified by classism and systemic racism.

“A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin, and culture is like a tree without roots.” – Marcus Garvey

Garvey highlights the vital importance of historical and cultural education for identity and resilience.

Exposing the neo-colonial agenda rooted in racism and the geopolitical exploitation of resources, especially within our ancestral continent, Africa, is imperative.  We must decipher and dismantle the mechanisms perpetuating racism, economic exploitation, and resource extraction.

“Freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed.” – Martin Luther King Jr.

King emphasizes the necessity of active resistance to systemic oppression.

The pursuit of self-reliance through education and strategic partnerships with nations in Asia and Africa is vital.  Realizing autonomy requires concerted efforts and robust collaborations globally.  “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” – Nelson Mandela

Mandela’s words underline education as essential in dismantling oppression and fostering equality.

We must acknowledge that hate and racism persist, stemming largely from inherited colonial governance systems characterized by political clientelism.  Such governance stifles Caribbean development, compelling urgent reform.

“If there is no struggle, there is no progress.” – Frederick Douglass

Douglass argues that genuine advancement arises from persistent effort and resistance.

Democracy inherited by default necessitates deliberate reform, including significant improvements to our prison systems.  Proactivity in preserving and sharing our ancient history is vital.

“You can’t separate peace from freedom because no one can be at peace unless he has his freedom.” – Malcolm X

Malcolm X clarifies that peace fundamentally requires freedom as its cornerstone.

Our emancipation celebration must impart a profound sense of responsibility to younger generations, emphasizing enthusiasm, unity, and brotherhood.  Recognizing our ancestral origins in the motherland enriches our cultural appreciation and underscores our historic contributions to humanity.

“History has shown us that courage can be contagious and hope can take on a life of its own.” – Michelle Obama

Obama inspires us to harness courage and hope in confronting ongoing challenges.

We, descendants of profound innovators and creators—pioneers of mathematics, astrology, chemistry, physics, and inventors of the wheel—must reclaim our rightful place in history.

“I am no longer accepting the things I cannot change.  I am changing the things I cannot accept.” – Angela Davis

Davis encourages us to actively challenge and alter unjust realities.

History must cease the systematic reclassification erasing our truths.  Affirming the true identities of historical figures such as Jesus and Moses as Black individuals is integral to cultural authenticity.

“Never forget that justice is what love looks like in public.” – Cornel West

West underscores justice as an expression of communal love and equity.

Governmental institutions across the region must rectify historical neglect within educational curricula, ensuring accurate representations of our history and the influential Haitian Revolution.

“Until the lions have their own historians, the history of the hunt will always glorify the hunter.” – Chinua Achebe

Achebe highlights the need for self-narration to accurately reflect our histories.

On this Emancipation Day, let unity prevail in meditation and celebration, never forgetting our shared humanity and inherent dignity.

“I am because we are.” – Ubuntu Philosophy

This philosophy encapsulates the interconnectedness of human existence and collective well-being.

“No one is free until everyone is free.” – Fannie Lou Hamer

Hamer’s words stress the universal nature of liberation and justice.

“Truth is powerful and it prevails.” – Sojourner Truth

Truth inspires resilience and steadfastness in our ongoing struggle for equality.

“The cost of liberty is less than the price of repression.” – W.E.B. Du Bois

Du Bois reminds us that freedom, despite its challenges, is always preferable to subjugation.

“The future belongs to those who prepare for it today.” – Malcolm X

We must proactively shape the future we desire by investing in our communities now.

August 01, 2025

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Inclusive Education in Latin America and the Caribbean Now!

Despite strong commitments to inclusive education across Latin America and the Caribbean, the reality on the ground is uneven, with many students with disabilities still placed in segregated schools or special classes...

Bridging the Gap: Inclusive Education in Latin America and the Caribbean

by Claudia Martinez A. - Suzanne Duryea - Maria Antonella Pereira

In Latin America and the Caribbean, 10-15% of school-aged children live with disabilities or learning difficulties, making inclusive education both a moral responsibility and an economic imperative.  With 12.5-18.9 million children at risk of being left behind, inclusive education— in which children with and without disabilities learn together—offers a crucial path to ensuring equal opportunities.

Despite strong commitments to inclusive education across Latin America and the Caribbean, however, the reality on the ground is uneven, with many students with disabilities still placed in segregated schools or special classes.

Legal Frameworks and Policy Commitments—Building the Foundation

Countries in Latin America and the Caribbean have established a foundation for inclusive education through strong legal frameworks.  All nations in the region have ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), ensuring that children with disabilities have the right to education within the general education system.  National laws further reinforce this commitment, with most countries mandating reasonable accommodations in schools to support the inclusion and learning of students with disabilities.

However, the implementation of these policies varies widely across the region.  While countries like Chile and Brazil have developed comprehensive programs that facilitate the inclusion of students with disabilities in mainstream schools, others continue to rely on segregated schooling models.  This gap between policy and practice underscores the need for ongoing advocacy and support to ensure that all children can interact and learn side by side.

The Enrollment-Completion Disconnect—A Persistent Challenge

One of the most significant challenges is the disconnect between enrollment and completion rates for children with disabilities.  While enrollment rates for children with disabilities in Latin America and the Caribbean are not particularly low, these students must still finish their education.  Most children with disabilities attend primary and secondary school, but gaps widen with age, particularly with regards to completion.

Evidence suggests that inclusive education policies play a role in reducing these disparities.  In countries like Chile and Brazil, where most students with disabilities attend mainstream schools, enrollment gaps at the primary and secondary level are minimal, at under 3 percentage points, and more than 68 percent of students with disabilities complete those levels of education.

In contrast, countries with lower levels of inclusion, such as Bolivia and Peru, still show substantial completion gaps, with secondary school completion rates for students with disabilities lagging behind those of their peers by as much as 48 percentage points.   This might be related in part to the low rates of disability measured in surveys in these countries.

In contrast to other countries in the region, the surveys may only be only capturing people with disabilities with high support needs.

These people are thus also more likely to experience discrimination or lag behind.  The large gaps in Peru and Bolivia may thus not actually be as large as they seem to be.  Still, the fact that gaps in completion rates vary significantly across countries and appear to be smaller in those that have expanded access to inclusive education bolsters the case for boosting inclusive education regionwide.

Learning from Leaders—Chile and Brazil’s Inclusive Education Models

Chile and Brazil have emerged as leaders in the region in this regard, pioneering innovative approaches to inclusive education.  Chile’s Education Integration Program (PIE) offers additional funding to schools that enroll students with disabilities, promoting inclusion within mainstream schooling.  Similarly, Brazil’s Specialized Educational Support Program (AEE) provides additional resources and learning support within mainstream schools, substantially reducing segregation.

These programs have yielded positive results, and there have been substantial increases in the number of students with disabilities attending mainstream schools.  In Brazil, students with disabilities in mainstream schools increased by 69.5% between 2014 and 2021, while in Chile their numbers rose by 36.5% during the same period.

Taking inspiration from the successful implementation of those endeavors and adapting Chile and Brazil’s models to their own contexts, other countries might similarly prioritize resources for inclusive education, including investments in teacher training, assistive technologies, and infrastructure improvements to make schools accessible to all students.  As in Chile, other countries may also consider providing financial resources for schools that are implementing inclusive education programs and monitoring outcomes.

Countries might develop more robust systems that identify students with disabilities and learning difficulties.  They might develop learning plans based on individual assessments and monitor progress toward these goals.  The key is creating sustainable and scalable programs that ensure every child has the opportunity to reach their full potential.  Inclusive education is an essential goal.  It is a pathway to a more equitable and prosperous future for Latin America and the Caribbean in which all children are given the opportunity to succeed.

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Why do Latin America and the Caribbean have low learning levels?

If learning were a disease, we would be talking about a global pandemic

 

Understanding The Learning Crisis: Where Are Students with Learning Gaps Located?

By Mercedes Mateo

iadb Blog

The OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) published the results of PISA 2022 in December last year.  Those results showed a global crisis in learning.

What happened in Latin America and the Caribbean?  We saw that three out of four 15-year-old students lack basic skills in mathematics, and almost half do not understand what they read.

We partnered with the World Bank to publish the report Learning Can’t Wait: Lessons for Latin America and the Caribbean from PISA 2022.  We sought to better understand the reasons behind this learning crisis in the region.

And, just as with child mortality, we know where and why.

Where? 

Also, in low—and middle-income countries, on average, 15-year-old students in the region lag five years behind the average student in OECD countries.  If we compare Latin American and Caribbean countries with those above the OECD average, the gap is 12 years of learning compared to Singapore, which leads the PISA rankings.

We not only know where the learning crisis is located and in which countries these learning challenges exist, but we also know who the lagging students are within countries.

There is an enormous inequality in learning by socioeconomic status: 88% of low-income students underperform in mathematics, compared to 55% of the wealthiest students.  That’s a difference of more than 30 percentage points between the two groups.

Why do Latin America and the Caribbean have low learning levels? 

We not only know where, but we know why: 

1. First, we are not investing enough in education.  Our countries invest, on average, three times less in education than OECD countries. 
2. There is also a relationship between investment and learning.  With the current level of investment, we could improve learning outcomes.  Therefore, there is room for efficiency.  The countries in the region are below the trend line, which means they could achieve better learning results for every dollar they invest. 
3. Third, there is a distribution problem and an equity issue. The teacher is the main input an education system has to achieve learning.  And what we see is that this main input is unequally distributed.  The highest-quality teachers are systematically in schools where the highest-income students attend.

Three keys to overcome the education crisis: solutions that work

Just as in the case of child mortality, we know where; we understand why. And we also know the solutions that work.

 

1. Measure more and better.  Measuring learning means knowing where we stand and providing a sense of purpose and direction.  It indicates where we want to be in the coming years. 

2. Investing more.  Countries in the region need to invest more. 

3. Investing better.  Investing better means generating efficiencies and spending better on the one hand.  On the other hand, it means investing in programs that we know are effective and can improve learning. 

Examples of solutions that work to enhance learning

• Early literacy programs.  We know, for instance, that if we offer good literacy programs to young children from an early age, we can improve their reading skills by 30%.  “Let’s All Learn to Read” is one such solution. 
• Intercultural bilingual education.  We also know that when we culturally contextualize the learning of mathematics, indigenous children develop 50% stronger math skills. 
• Remote tutoring.  We also know that when we provide personalized support to the most vulnerable, lagging students through highly cost-effective remote tutoring, we can accelerate their learning by 30%. 
• School feeding programs.  We also know that offering school meals to students increases their participation in school.  We see a 9% improvement in school attendance. 
• Education management and information systems.  Finally, having management and information systems is crucial.  They not only help us generate efficiencies but are also essential to ensure equity.  This data allows us to distribute resources more equitably in education systems to compensate for student differences.  

We know the magnitude of the problem.  We have studied it in depth.  We know where the problem lies and why we are facing this challenge.  And we also know the effective solutions.  We have done it before; we can do it again.  The main challenge is how to transform the region’s education systems at scale.  Because learning can’t wait, these generations of children and youth cannot wait.

Source

UNESCO recognizes Cuba’s educational accomplishments

• The country’s population has the highest educational level in Latin America

By LINET PERERA NEGRÍN

Herman van Hooff, director of UNESCO’s regional cultural office, reported February 5 that Cuba’s accomplishments in implementing the United Nations ‘Education for All’ (EFA) objectives are recognized worldwide.

The six objectives include expansion of early childhood care and education; provision of universal free and compulsory primary education; opportunities for young people and adults to learn life skills; the development of adult literacy, gender parity and quality education.

 

The ‘Education for All’ effort guided by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is directed toward meeting universal educational needs.  Progress toward meeting the objectives was described in UNESCO’s 11^th report on teaching and learning 2013-2014, recently shared in Havana.

Van Hooff assured Granma that he is pleased with Cuba’s accomplishments and mentioned several of the country’s outstanding achievements such as the early childhood education program Educa a tu hijo, quality primary education and Cuba’s renowned adult literacy campaign.

He emphasized that Cuba has the highest EFA Development index (EDI) in Latin America and the Caribbean.  The rating is a composite figure based on progress on four of the six EFA goals.  These are the objectives focused on universal primary education, adult literacy, quality of education and gender equity, selected given the availability of data in these areas.  The report also highlighted the fact that, among all countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, Cuba dedicates the highest percentage of its Gross Domestic Product to education, 13%.

Despite progress made in several countries, the report concludes that the basic EFA goals will not be achieved and that the issue of education must be a central priority on the UN’s post-2015 development agenda.

February 06, 2014

Granma.cu

Requiem to a Jamaican genius: Walk good, Rex Nettleford

YESTERDAY morning, a nation struggling to come to terms with simultaneous emotions of grief and gratitude, said farewell to Professor Ralston Milton 'Rex' Nettleford.

The dilemma is by no means unique to Jamaica. For there have been many occasions in the past when nations have had the uncomfortable experience of paying tribute to great men and women who have made such an indelible mark on humanity that we are unable to accept their early departure.

But departure is inevitable, for as the Scripture tells us, man's days are as grass, or yet again "It is appointed unto man once to die..." Life, therefore, is temporary. And it is what we do with that time on earth -- whether brief or extended -- that defines us.

No one can challenge the fact that Professor Nettleford packed many lifetimes into his short 76 years with us. His achievements are numerous and would fill these columns and many more were we to start listing them.

We believe, though, that Professor Nettleford would have been embarrassed by a listing of his accomplishments and the accolades bestowed upon him. His focus would be on our commitment to continuing the work to which he dedicated his life -- work on the acceptance of every facet of our vibrant culture by all Jamaicans; work on the strengthening of our democracy and the institutions that govern us; work on our role in creating a united Caribbean with a strong voice in the international community; work on our realisation that we can accomplish greatness regardless of our station in life.

For Professor Nettleford's life itself was a product of that work -- started by our ancestors -- and bore testament to the fact that, because he was not afraid to die, he lived.

He would have been pleased with yesterday's funeral service -- simple, yet elegant and conducted with the grace he and his beloved National Dance Theatre Company (NDTC) so often displayed on stage here and abroad. He would also have been delighted with the fact that the atmosphere inside the University Chapel was one of celebration. For his life is indeed one to celebrate -- a life dedicated to professionalism, selflessness, education, social and political emancipation, and patriotism.

Thankfully, Professor Nettleford had the foresight to document his thoughts and experiences on a range of issues, leaving us with the benefit of his voice and expertise from which we can improve our lives.

Two weeks ago in this space, we humbly suggested that the Government assembles a broad committee representing the major interests served by Professor Nettleford to consider the most fitting tribute that can be paid to this extraordinary man who gave service beyond self to his country.

We trust that our suggestion was accepted.

And now, as we salute this great son of the soil, we appeal to Jamaicans to ensure that his legacy is preserved. For in the Hon Professor Ralston Milton 'Rex' Nettleford, OM rests the hope of every Jamaican of humble beginnings that they, too, can fulfil their ambitions.

Walk good, 'Prof'. May your soul rest in peace.

February 17, 2010

jamaicaobserver

Bahamas Blog International