Unesco meet explores education in AI age

PARIS: The Sultanate of Oman, represented by the Ministry of Education, is participating in Unesco Digital Learning Week 2026 which is held under the theme 'Education in the Age of AI: Facts, Frictions, Frontiers'.
The event discusses the future of education amidst the rapid developments of artificial intelligence.
The delegation of the Sultanate of Oman was represented by Majid bin Said al Bahri, Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Education for Administrative and Financial Affairs.
Hosted by Unesco at its headquarters in Paris and running through 11 September, the week aims to promote a global dialogue on leveraging technology in education.
The event addresses issues of privacy, information safety, equity, and inclusion, in addition to the role of the teacher and learner in digital environments, alongside reviewing international experiences in formulating educational policies that support digital transformation.
The Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Education for Administrative and Financial Affairs highlighted the Sultanate of Oman's experience in developing digital education infrastructure and enhancing the use of artificial intelligence to support educational practices and decision-making, emphasising the importance of grounding the adoption of AI technologies in education in a clear educational need and added value.
He emphasised the necessity of considering safety, privacy, transparency, cultural and linguistic appropriateness, calculating the total cost of technologies, ensuring data portability, and avoiding reliance on a single provider, pointing to the importance of cooperation with Unesco in developing clear frameworks and standards for acquiring AI technologies and exchanging expertise.
On the sidelines of the event, the Undersecretary met with Dr Martín Benavides, Director of the Unesco International Institute for Educational Planning. During this meeting, the two sides discussed areas of cooperation in formulating educational strategy, exchanging expertise in educational planning, and developing policies supporting digital transformation and building national capacities in the field of education. — ONA