• The new UNESCO, KIX Africa 21 Hub programme focuses on developing national AI competency frameworks and translating digital resources into local languages to promote inclusion.

• The initiative builds on national digital education strategies such as Côte d’Ivoire’s 2024–2030 policy

• By localising digital learning and advancing AI literacy, the programme aims to equip teachers and students with future-ready skills.

UNESCO, in partnership with the KIX Africa 21 Hub – an initiative which aims to strengthen education systems across the Global South, has launched a new programme to integrate artificial intelligence (AI) and digital technologies into classroom learning in four pilot countries — Benin, Burundi, Côte d’Ivoire, and Senegal.

The initiative, announced October 17, focuses on two key pillars: developing national AI competency frameworks for teachers and students, and translating digital learning resources into national and local languages to promote foundational literacy and inclusion.

UNESCO’s Chief of the Section for Technology and AI in Education, Shafika Isaacs, emphasised the organisation’s goal of ensuring that “the technological revolution serves humanity, protects human rights, and combats inequalities.” Similarly, Dr Maïmouna Sissoko Touré, Coordinator of the KIX Africa 21 Hub, noted that competency frameworks will “guide teacher training, harmonise practice, and place humans at the heart of the digital transition.”

Côte d’Ivoire is among the first countries to operationalise the initiative. A workshop held in September gathered over 40 participants from Côte d’Ivoire and Benin to begin developing an AI competency framework for teachers and learners. This builds on the country’s National Digital Education Policy (2024–2030) and National Strategy for the Digitalisation of Education (2024–2028). Meanwhile, the translation of digital learning materials draws on the Global Digital Library and UNESCO’s Translate a Story initiative to adapt resources into local languages — ensuring that children in linguistically diverse communities can access culturally relevant content.

UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay underscored this importance during International Literacy Day 2024: “Children learn to read and write best in their mother tongue. Yet 40 per cent of people lack access to education in a language they speak or understand. In Africa, 8 in 10 children start school in a language different from the one they speak at home.”

By embedding AI and digital technologies in education and localising content, UNESCO and KIX Africa 21 aim to expand access to quality education, equip teachers and students with future-ready digital and ethical skills, and build inclusive digital learning systems.

AI integration in education also enhances efficiency and access. A recent study in Sierra Leone found that an AI chatbot designed for teachers delivered accurate answers using 87% less data than a standard web search — a critical advantage in regions where connectivity remains limited.

By developing national AI frameworks and localising learning resources, countries such as Côte d’Ivoire, Benin, Burundi, and Senegal are positioning themselves as pioneers in human-centred digital education reform.

Hikmatu Bilali