Can AI Unlock Fresh Gears for Ethiopia’s EdTech Sector

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is making headways across the world. Specialized progress by companies can become factors that wipe or add billions of dollars from companies listed on international exchanges. Although sectors such as health, finance, and agriculture are now intensively making use of AI, the education sector is starting to catch on to the trend.  

The February episode of EdTech Mondays featured a critical discussion on the role of AI in enhancing teacher skills and boosting the adoption of educational technology (EdTech) in Ethiopia. The monthly show aired on Fana Radio, produced by the Mastercard Foundation and Shega Media & Technology, brought a panel of experts who discussed ways to harness the benefits of AI for Ethiopia’s students.

Milkiayas Tesfaye, Program Lead CCEO at Edify, an education-based Global NGO, pointed to one of the key challenges. 

"We have reached a time where technology could isolate teachers from students. And that is why we need to work to bridge the gap between technology and teachers. Because we cannot discuss its benefits in a reality where teachers lack capacity,” he said.

According to the 2023 Global Markets Insights report, AI in the education market reached $4 billion in 2022 and is projected to grow by more than a 10 percent compound annual growth rate from 2023 to 2032, “owing to the growing inclination towards personalized learning. However, global growth has been far from uniform owing to a set of unique circumstances faced by individual countries.

Milkiyas emphasized the importance of aligning teachers with technology and integrating pedagogy with digital tools. Noting that without this alignment, it is challenging to realize the benefits of AI in education. 

"Capacity building of teachers is the most important aspect," Milkiyas stressed. 

Ethiopia boasts one of Africa’s largest school-age populations. In 2023, the country had a school-aged population of 35 million children. About 52% of the school-aged population were primary school prospects. In the 2021/22 school year, 88.7% of Ethiopia's school-aged population was enrolled in primary school. However, only 33.1% of children progressed to secondary school. 

The combined impact of COVID-19, conflict, and climate change has contributed to at least 13 million children being out of school in Ethiopia, with long-term consequences for their future. 

Against this backdrop, EdTech promises a lifeline but only if teachers, the system’s backbone, are equipped to wield it. 

“We cannot automate our way out of a human capital crisis,” warned Milkiayas. “AI is a tool, not a teacher.”

Even with the potential to address Ethiopia’s rapidly increasing number of out-of-school children, AI’s reach is bounded by pinching hindrances. A deeply entrenched digital divide, lack of digital literacy, and the massive capital expenditure for a nationwide rollout are but a few.

The Global Pace

In Canada, some schools have turned to technology to monitor school-issued devices 24/7 for any signs of danger as they grapple with a student mental health crisis. 

Teachers are using AI tools to create homework assignments and quizzes. In other cases, it's being seen as a technology that can take the place of a private tutor for students, which reduces teachers' workloads.

OpenAI is committing $50M in research grants, computing funding, and API access to support students, educators, and researchers advancing the frontiers of knowledge.

Schools in Beijing, China, are set to introduce artificial intelligence courses to primary and secondary students to strengthen China’s goal to dominate the sector.

Many are launching support programs for startups too. Google’s Growth Academy: AI for Education is a three-month program providing education startups leveraging AI with essential growth skills, internationalization strategies, and Google tools to help them scale and innovate responsibly.

The Case of Ethiopia 

Liq Tutors, Think Hub Innovations, BirdView, Globe Dock, are some of the Edtech startups working on AI-powered solutions. 

For instance,  Laba.ai, an AI-powered chatbot, allows students to ask questions and receive assistance in their studies. Meanwhile, Think Hub Innovations harnesses AI and gamification to make learning more engaging and effective.

These emerging initiatives are largely nascent, while the reality of education in Ethiopia brings multidimensional perspectives.

While the government’s 2022 Digital Education Strategy ambitiously targets tech-integrated classrooms, ground realities tell a different story.  Even teachers in urban areas, like Addis Ababa, have limited experience with digital tools, and this issue is more pronounced in rural regions. Even basic infrastructure remains elusive: only a small percentage of schools outside urban centers have internet access. 

Furthermore, infrastructure challenges like internet connectivity and affordable technology, alongside language barriers and cultural heterogeneity, add a layer of complexity.

“We’re preparing educators for classrooms that no longer exist,” said Tewelde Zemichael, founder of Geez Education and Training, an Edtech Company that develops localized e-learning content. His critique during the Edtech Monday’s episode complements existing reports on the sector. Ethiopian teachers often spend a significant portion of classroom time on lecturing, with minimal student interaction a model ill-suited for tech-aided, student-centered learning. 

"We can discuss the many advantages of AI in education, but ultimately, it depends on the teachers and all stakeholders. Do we possess the necessary resources, policies, and commitment to upskill our teachers and modernize our outdated education systems?" pondered Elias Gudeta, a software engineer and deputy manager at Destiny Future Academy. 

EdTech integration hinges on robust teacher upskilling, requiring practical training and ongoing support to build confidence with digital tools. Overcoming hesitancy due to unfamiliarity necessitates schools prioritizing hands-on training, collaborative learning, and technical support. AI can personalize training and automate tasks, allowing teachers to focus on student engagement, maximizing EdTech's impact on learning.

Meanwhile, around a dozen Ethiopian startups are active in the AI sector. Companies like Addis AI are working on an Amharic voice assistant developed by AiQEM Techs, while iCog Labs, known for its work on Sophia the Robot is working on language data sets developed by crowdsourcing underrepresented Ethiopian languages with Leyu Ai.

Negative Impact of AI in the Education Sector

Although there seems to be many positive aspects about the advent of AI in learning institutions, experts warn that AI could also negatively impact disciplines such as critical thinking and the ability of learners to make their own assessments without the need of a search engine or chatbot.

Industry experts such as Dr.Takavafira Zhou have questioned the impact AI is having on the future of the workforce. He argues that learners are unable to deliver meaningful output due to their over-reliance on AI.

Some teachers have caught students using AI chatbots to write their essays. According to USA Today, teachers in the UK are not asking as much for essay responses. 

The Human Factor

AI’s promise in Ethiopian education lies not in flashy algorithms, but in its ability to amplify the human element. 

For a teacher juggling a crowded classroom, an AI assistant that tracks individual progress could restore the mentorship eroded by overcrowding. But these gains remain hypothetical without addressing foundational gaps in electricity, connectivity, and most critically, teachers who feel empowered, not threatened, by the AI boom

Progress in Ethiopia’s edtech journey is pinned on crosscutting headways across multiple dimensions of technology, policy and finance. AI could prove to be the most powerful of tool if successfully harnessed.