PM Modi calls for global collaboration to leverage AI, tech in education

In a recorded message played during the G20 education ministers’ meeting in Pune, he called upon the G20 nations to play a crucial role in leveraging technology for the betterment of education globally.

At the meeting, the G20 ministers will formally accept the outcome documents, marking the culmination of the extensive deliberations carried out over the past several months within the education working group track. These outcome documents will serve as a roadmap for the international community, guiding coordinated actions to ensure inclusive and high-quality education for all learners.

The education working group, which was convened in Chennai, Amritsar, Bhubaneshwar, and Pune, focused on inclusive solutions and collective actions to address global challenges. Their priorities encompassed foundational literacy and numeracy, inclusive and qualitative tech-enabled learning, capacity building for future work requirements, and fostering research and innovation through collaboration and partnerships.

In his address, Modi emphasised the role of digital technology as an “equaliser” and a means to promote inclusivity, stating it as a force multiplier in expanding access to education and adapting to future needs. In addition to discussing the significance of AI, he also highlighted the integration of technology with learning to enhance the e-learning experience. He commended the Study Webs of Active-learning for Young Aspiring Minds (SWAYAM), an esteemed e-learning portal that offers remote access to courses from renowned institutions. SWAYAM has achieved remarkable enrollment numbers, with a wide range of 9,000 courses available from the 9th grade to postgraduate level.

Modi further suggested that G20 countries undertake skill mapping at the international level to identify gaps and address them. He emphasised the need for continuous skilling, re-skilling, and up-skilling of the youth to prepare them for the future and align their competencies with evolving work profiles and practices. India is already undertaking skill mapping, and Prime Minister Modi encouraged other G-20 nations to follow suit.

The education working group, which convened in Chennai, Amritsar, Bhubaneshwar, and Pune, focused on inclusive solutions and collective actions to address global challenges. Their priorities encompassed foundational literacy and numeracy, inclusive and qualitative tech-enabled learning, capacity building for future work requirements, and fostering research and innovation through collaboration and partnerships.

(With PTI inputs)