AI-powered teaching tools co-designed with South African teachers.
As artificial intelligence becomes more common in our daily lives, schools find themselves at a crossroads. Should they ban AI tools in classrooms or teach students how to use them responsibly? This question has sparked heated debates among educators and parents alike.
The debate about AI in education is heating up. Many worry that advanced technology might someday replace teachers in the classroom. But is this fear justified? Looking at current research and expert opinions, we can see that while AI may transform education, it won’t likely replace teachers completely. AI cannot replace teachers because teaching is fundamentally a human endeavour that requires empathy, relationship-building and adaptability that machines simply cannot replicate.
AI plagiarism detectors have become popular tools in schools and workplaces. Many teachers and bosses now use them to check if work was written by a human or by an AI like ChatGPT. But are these tools actually good at their job?
AI detection tools often produce both false positives (flagging human work as AI-generated) and false negatives (missing AI-created content), making them less reliable than traditional plagiarism checkers. Multiple studies show these detectors aren’t accurate enough to be trusted. In fact, the same text run through different detectors can yield completely different results.
Kunsmatige intelligensie (KI) transformeer hoe onderwysers in Suid-Afrika hul administratiewe take hanteer. Deur AI-tegnologie toe te pas, kan onderwysers hul fokus verskuif van tydrowende administratiewe pligte na meer interaktiewe en persoonlike onderrigmetodes. Dit maak nie net die lewe vir die onderwysers makliker nie, maar verbeter ook die opvoedkundige ervaring vir leerders.
Guest post by Niall McNulty, Product Lead for Education Futures at Cambridge University Press & Assessment. Niall is a specialist in the use of AI to enhance teaching and learning.
As I presented at the recent DBE Lekgotla 2025, the rapid integration of AI into education isn’t just coming, it’s already here. For you as school leaders and principals, understanding how to navigate this technology is no longer optional but essential for effective school management and student success.
