THE Department of Education (DepEd), now the host agency of the country’s Center for Al Research (CAIR), will harness artificial intelligence (AI) by integrating it into the education sector to equip learners and educators with Al-powered tools and systems to enhance the network of schools’ operational efficiencies, DepEd Secretary Sonny Angara said.
Secretary Cristina Roque of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) yesterday turned over to Angara 10 high-powered laptops capable of robust Al and data analytics, as an initial step in sharing resources to implement the center’s objectives.
In a joint statement, DepEd and DTI said the center, now known as the Education Center for Al Research or E-CAIR, will roll out seven high-impact tools in June.
AI tools
The statement said the tools are focused on improving operational efficiency, optimizing resource allocation, enhancing data-driven policymaking and strengthening student support systems.
The tools include solutions for faster response to public inquiries, better matching of donors with schools in need, examining trends in school leadership exams, identifying gaps in education subsidies, early detection of learners with disabilities, monitoring child malnutrition and assessing disaster risks in schools, it added.
Angara said AI can be used in measuring malnutrition to allow for intervention.
AI tools also can help identify which schools are overcrowded, under capacity, no longer sustainable or which need repair, allowing for the transfer of students to better equipped public schools nearby, he added.
Improving the system
“It’s really more about improving the whole system. That’s just one example,” Angara sai.
But he noted the need for both teachers and students to understand and work with AI.
When asked if DepEd will issue a policy to regulate AI in student activities, Angara said “that’s something to look at.”
He said, however, that teachers should be able to identify whether an assignment was generated by ChatGPT or another generative AI.
“Part of the training for teachers is ensuring that students don’t rely entirely on AI. Assignments should include proper citations, and at the same time, we should protect the child’s creativity and imagination,” Angara added.
Roque, for her part, said the “research does not belong to the DTI” and that the DepEd has the expertise in the field.
