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The Director of the Global Quality Assurance Association (GQAA), Dr Violet Makuku, has called on tertiary institutions in Africa to embrace Artificial Intelligence (AI) or risk falling behind in global education standards.
Speaking at a three-day symposium recently on Quality Assurance in Higher and Tertiary Education, Dr Makuku stressed that AI was no longer a future concept but a present reality.
“We are already in the future. Tools such as ChatGPT, Grammarly and Google Forms have transformed the way we work, enhancing productivity and efficiency. Tasks that once took hours can now be completed in minutes,” she said.
The symposium, organised on behalf of the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) in Nigeria, took place at the Miklin Hotel in Accra.
It brought together key stakeholders, including the Vice-Chancellor of the ABU, Prof. Kabiru Bala, along with selected teaching and non-teaching staff from the institution.
The staff were trained on aspects of leadership and management, blended teaching and learning and research and innovation within the educational sector.
Continuing, Dr Makuku noted that institutions unwilling to embrace AI-driven changes risked becoming irrelevant in the evolving education landscape.
“People need to shape up or ship out. If you resist change, you will become obsolete.
The world is moving fast and Africa must move with it,” she cautioned.
She noted the transformative potential of AI in higher education, stating that it could enhance teaching, research and institutional management.
“AI can help analyse data, automate administrative work and assist in personalised learning for students. It’s a tool, not a threat,” she explained.
Dr Makuku also called for policies and investments that integrate AI into learning and governance.
“Institutional leaders should work together at the national level to advocate policies that support AI adoption in universities.
If we want Africa’s education system to compete globally, we must embrace technology,” she stated.
She also emphasised the need for financial and infrastructue investment to support AI integration, improve school facilities, enable research, data collection and practical learning tools in schools.
Adding his voice, Prof. Bala called for more collaborations and exchange programmes between African tertiary institutions just as the ABU does with the University of Ghana and the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology.
He noted the importance of institutions investing in training workshops such as this for their staff and students.
Briefing the Daily Graphic, the Brand and Marketing Manager, Tavonga Turikai Munodawafa, noted that this was one of many symposia and fora the QGAA hosts.
“As a non-profit and consultancy organisation founded in January 2023, we not only work to improve quality standards in industries such as manufacturing, retail, services and education but embark on outreach programmes,” he added.
