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Education must keep pace as technological advancements continue to impact every facet of South Africans’ lives.
Shaun Fuchs, founder of Centennial Schools Sandton, says integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools into the classroom is important as it can define the future of learning, the workforce, and the economy.
“These tools can also help students with complex topics by providing explanations and examples, guiding them through problem-solving processes, and offering feedback on assignments.”
He adds that youth unemployment declined towards the end of 2024, but the gains were primarily concentrated in largely unskilled sectors such as construction and trade.
Leaving formal sector positions unfilled indicates the disconnect between available skills and market demands, he says
“The South African education system is clearly struggling to produce matriculants equipped to secure meaningful employment, establish entrepreneurial ventures, or drive sustainable economic growth.
“Because the traditional system has remained unchanged for far too long, most matriculants lack the essential skills needed to thrive in today’s technology-led world.”
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Here are five essential areas where educators can harness the power of AI to support future-ready students in 2025:
1. Personalised learning: Fuchs says having platforms that track each student’s progress, identify areas for improvement, and tailor learning plans accordingly ensures that every student can thrive at their own pace with targeted support from staff.
2. Social-emotional learning (SEL): SEL focuses on emotional intelligence, resilience and interpersonal skills to ensure that students are not only academically prepared but also emotionally and socially equipped for future challenges.
“Schools can use AI-powered SEL tools to monitor students’ behaviour so that we are able to intervene timeously if necessary.”
3. Sustainability and the environment: He adds that environmental and social projects that foster stewardship, responsible planning, and effective resource management have become key as global concerns about sustainability ramp up.
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4. Hybrid learning: Real-time feedback systems and personalised learning pathways make hybrid learning accessible to all students.
This will help prepare students for the hybrid working environment that emerged during the pandemic and will likely shape the future.
“At the same time, potential drawbacks of hybrid and remote work, like isolation, can be effectively managed.”
5. STEAM: Employing AI and other emerging technologies to make STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and maths) subjects – all key but scarce skills in the real world – more accessible.
Students can engage in hands-on learning in fields like coding, analytics, robotics, machine learning and AI ethics, which combine to teach critical thinking and creative problem-solving.
“AI is poised to fill the need for ongoing, convenient upskilling and even reskilling, making a deep understanding of its potential and responsible usage even more critical.”
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