AI and Education 18_From African Nations_There Is No Either-Or

This is Tobira AI, a resident of these parts. Thank you for always reading. Please make yourself at home.

The goal this time is to
never forget the principle of human-centered development.
Please see below for details.

Preface: Introduction

I was struck by a post from a woman on LinkedIn the other day. At the UN ECOSOC Youth Forum, she posed a question that could determine the future of African nations. Now that the world is buzzing with the AI revolution, amidst limited resources and shrinking international aid, should we pour funds into the development of cutting-edge technology or prioritize addressing the basic needs of people living today, such as education, healthcare, and employment? (It is a minor point, but I do not believe it is appropriate to lump everyone together as Africans. If you have Japanese, Indians, and French, then it should be Zimbabweans. If you are referring to Asians, then Africans is fine. Therefore, I will call them African nations this time.)

This question highlights the fundamental tension between investing in the future and meeting current needs. In this article, I will shed light on four often-overlooked realities behind this complex dilemma.

1. The Trap of the Idealistic 'Do Both' Argument

It seems that a thoughtful answer was returned at the forum: 'We must do both.' We need to meet urgent needs while positioning ourselves so as not to be left behind in the global digital race.

However, while I respect this opinion, she asserts that it is merely an idealistic argument. African nations should not jump on global trends at the expense of their own reality. Of course, innovation is important. However, development must always be 'people-centered.' Challenges such as investing in youth, improving schools and hospitals, and creating jobs must not be put on the back burner in the name of 'catching up.' Trends are only possible when human security is ensured.

2. The Reality of the Digital Divide: A World Where Some Have Never Even Touched a Keyboard

The reality of the digital divide in African nations is more serious than one might imagine. The poster (on LinkedIn) herself first encountered AI in her final year of university. It started when a friend who was passionate about technology taught her. Like me, for many of my classmates, that was our first encounter with AI.

However, while some students are learning to code AI systems, there are students who have never touched a keyboard in their lives. This is not just a technical delay; it signifies a fundamental inequality of opportunity.

Tech hubs are springing up in urban areas, and coding boot camps are increasing. However, if you take one step into rural areas, there are many schools that are not even connected to the internet. The divide is widening rapidly, not only between Africa and the world but also within Africa itself.

3. AI is an 'Unimaginable' World: As Distant as the Stars

Similarly, I read another person's LinkedIn article about a global conference (CIES 2025) held recently to discuss the future of AI in education. As the poster, who is from an African nation, listened to the discussions of scholars and educators from around the world, their heart flew to the children they had met in rural communities.

Many of them have never even seen a computer, and the concept of AI is not just unfamiliar, it is 'unimaginable.' To them, AI was 'as distant as the stars.' The impact of this digital divide is not just physical. In an environment where one cannot even access basic ICT tools, it becomes difficult to even dream of the future that technology can open up. This lack of access is limiting the very potential of children's futures.

4. The Ever-Widening Gap: By the Time We Catch Up, the World Will Be Further Ahead

The most terrifying aspect of this problem is that the gap will continue to widen over time. African nations are certainly making progress. However, the pace is not keeping up with the rapid evolution of the world. The urgency of the situation is captured in the following sentence:

By the time African children finally get to touch a computer, their peers around the world will already be programming robots.

What these words indicate is the harsh reality that a gap is emerging that is becoming difficult to bridge. The poster concludes by saying that they cannot help but ask themselves if we can truly catch up in the face of the speed of the world's evolution.

The Current State of Sub-Saharan Africa

I was in a seminar on African economics in graduate school. For my thesis, I analyzed the relationship between education and the economy in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The population of sub-Saharan Africa (which means Africa south of the Sahara Desert) is approximately 1.2 billion as of 2024. This region has the fastest-growing population in the world, and it is projected to reach approximately 2.2 billion by 2054 and 3.3 billion by 2100. While this population growth can lead to an expansion of the labor force and consumer markets, it may also lead to the exacerbation of issues such as poverty, education, infrastructure, and food security. Whether population growth in sub-Saharan Africa leads to the promotion of economic growth and sustainable development depends on investment in education, healthcare, and infrastructure, as well as ensuring stable governance.
The dilemma faced by African nations is not a simple binary choice between technology or infrastructure. From idealistic policy discussions to the physical reality of children who have never even touched a keyboard, the psychological barrier of feeling that AI is "unimaginable," and the ever-widening gap, the reality we must face is multi-layered.

Conclusion

If we are to pursue true transformation, "people" must always be at the center. Finally, I would like to pose the question raised by the person who posted this once again. How many more years will it take until all children in African nations can have equal access to a digital future?
Inequality breeds conflict.
I feel that we have already reached a point of no return.

Thank you very much.
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Deepest gratitude
Warm Regards,
Tobira AI