Education
UNESCO 2035 AI Education Roadmap Explained
UNESCO’s 2025 plan pledges free tablets, adaptive reading apps and multilingual AI tutors to erase global illiteracy by 2035—key targets inside.
NEW YORK, Sept. 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — As we celebrate this year’s International Literacy Day – with the common theme to promote literacy in the digital era – we must not forget the 234 million children living on the frontlines of the world’s most severe humanitarian crises who so urgently need our support in accessing quality education.
Reading is the fundamental building block for all learning. For these girls and boys, learning to read means a chance out of poverty, learning to write means a chance to become the leaders that will build a better tomorrow, and learning to use digital tools means a chance to build the skillsets and critical thinking needed to thrive in the fast-changing world of the 21st century.
Efforts by governments, donors, UN agencies, civil society, the private sector and local organizations are providing us with hope. In 1979, only 68% of the world population knew how to read, according to UNESCO. That number has jumped to 86% today. Nevertheless, 250 million children are still not able to read basic texts, with the needs even more pronounced for crisis-impacted children.
As we embrace a digital shift, limited access to technologies, electricity and quality learning environments risks leaving even more children behind. Only a third of primary schools in sub-Saharan have electricity. Imagine what it must be like for a girl living in a displacement camp in places like Burkina Faso or Sudan?
Results with Impact
To address these collective challenges, Education Cannot Wait (ECW) and its strategic donor partners are funding programmes to provide children impacted by the compounding risks of conflict, climate change and forced displacement with foundational learning opportunities. Our investment in teaching these children to read and write is our investment in breaking cycles of hunger, poverty, displacement and insecurity, now and forever. It is our collective investment in the transformational power of education.
Across ECW’s portfolio, we are seeing results with impact. In all, 88% of ECW’s Multi-Year Resilience Programmes reported improved learning outcoming in literacy and/or numeracy.
One example comes from Uganda, where lower primary school students supported through ECW investments saw an increase from 18% to 34% in basic reading skills. In upper primary levels, reading competency more than doubled, from 40% to 83%, with girls outperforming boys (38% vs. 31%). Refugee children are seeing strong results. Literacy in refugee schools improved from 7% to 34% for lower primary, and from 33% to 83% for upper primary.
At ECW-supported schools in Niger, sixth graders saw a 10% increase in math and 24% jump in French when compared to “control schools.”
In Pakistan, ECW is investing in Accelerated Learning Programmes to help crisis-impacted children who had dropped out of school catch up on their education. Upon entering these Accelerated Learning Programmes, children could only answer 20% of assessment questions but, by the endline, scores had improved to 59% – with girls improving from 20% to 60% and boys from 19% to 56%.
For these children, literacy isn’t just about memorization or reading books. It’s about understanding and developing the critical thinking skills they need to adapt to our fast-changing world. Literacy is the foundation of peace and resilience – especially in the face of global challenges like climate change – and thus needs to be a cornerstone of support to children and adolescents caught up in crises. ECW has the funding mechanisms and partnerships in place to continue to support these vital efforts but needs additional financing in order to scale up and sustain these initiatives to keep hope alive for the world’s most vulnerable children.
Artificial intelligence has been rapidly changing the K-12 education landscape—from providing opportunities for personalized learning to assisting with nonteaching tasks. As the new school year kicks into gear, how do educators expect to see AI incorporated into their school and classes?
EdWeek reporting shows that not many schools have policies in place to guide AI use just yet, although it’s a top-of-mind issue for educators and policymakers. According to a recent survey of state education technology officials, 40% of respondents said their states had released AI guidance, and supporting professional development on the issue was a top priority.
Additionally, educators remain divided on whether AI should be used in the classroom at all. There is concern among some educators about how AI may affect students’ critical thinking skills, as well as their ability to experiment and learn.
Still, most educators feel as if the use of AI in education is inevitable. In an informal Education Week LinkedIn poll with 700 votes, 87% of respondents said AI will affect the classroom, and 7% said it would not.
Educators shared more details about their opinions on AI’s impact in the comment section. Here are some of their responses, edited lightly for clarity.
Some educators fear AI will have a negative impact
It will be banned within three years once test scores plummet. It can’t be controlled, and 80% will use it to cheat.
It has negatively impacted the general public for sure. I hope it doesn’t enter the schools next.
Totally against it as an educator. If anything, I’m pulling BACK on technology in my classroom this year because it’s becoming more of a hindrance.
Other educators are embracing AI
I’m counting on it [having an impact]. And designing PD about exactly that.
Justin M.
Students are already using it, some to help them study and others to outright cheat. I’ve used it to help with planning and organizing ideas and even for inspiration sometimes. It’s here now and we can’t pretend that it isn’t, but we can show students how to use it in a productive way.
Emily H.
AI will shape classrooms in ways we can’t ignore. The opportunity? Freeing teachers from busywork so they can focus on relationships, creativity, and student growth. The challenge? Keeping humanity, critical thinking, and cultural awareness at the center.
Tricia T.
We are hoping to facilitate conversations between people of different generations talking about certain topics. We would love to speak to a gen Z and baby boomer art teacher. If you’re an art teacher from these generations and you’d like to speak to us about your experience, we’d like to hear from you.
What has it been like working as an art teacher? What do you like about your job? What challenges have there been in your work?
Share your experience
If you’re an art teacher, tell us your experiences below.
The transformative potential of artificial intelligence (AI) has captured attention across industries and disciplines, with forecasts predicting an astounding contribution of approximately $19.9 trillion to the global economy by the year 2030. In light of this profound impact, educational leaders are grappling with the challenge of defining effective pedagogical strategies to prepare students for a future increasingly dominated by AI technologies. This evolving narrative underscores the necessity of a unified framework for AI education, an initiative that has found a guiding light under the auspices of Kennesaw State University’s Department of Information Technology.
Kennesaw State University (KSU), under the adept leadership of Department Chair Dr. Shaoen Wu, has taken a monumental step toward fortifying AI education through recent funding achievements from the National Science Foundation (NSF). Accompanied by assistant professors Seyedamin Pouriyeh and Chloe “Yixin” Xie, Wu’s team has secured two NSF grants aimed at creating a network of educators committed to sharing resources and collaborating on best practices in the field of AI. This initiative is set to extend through May 31, 2027, marking a significant investment in the future of educational practices encompassing artificial intelligence.
The driving force behind this initiative is the recognition that while AI has permeated numerous educational institutions, a coherent community focused on AI education remains conspicuously absent. Dr. Wu, who oversees the initiatives within KSU’s College of Computing and Software Engineering, articulated an essential observation. He pointed out that although numerous universities, including KSU, have developed undergraduate and graduate programs in artificial intelligence, a collaborative community has yet to materialize. This fragmentation is paradoxical, considering the widespread adoption and potential of AI technologies across various sectors.
As Dr. Wu aptly noted, “AI has become the next big thing after the internet.” Yet, the educational sector has not transpired into a synchronized effort towards establishing a collective framework for teaching AI. The NSF-funded project marks the nascent stages of an endeavor to create a national network that could potentially streamline AI education and facilitate shared resources among institutions of varying sizes and capabilities.
Drawing parallels to the established cybersecurity education community, which benefits from standardized curricular guidelines and shared best practices, Dr. Wu envisions a similarly structured approach for AI education. Implementing a cohesive framework would empower under-resourced institutions, including community colleges, with free access to crucial teaching materials and necessary equipment for effective AI training. This would significantly lower the barriers to entry for institutions struggling to incorporate cutting-edge AI curricula into their programs.
In addition to the technical framework being proposed, this initiative is part of the broader National AI Research Resource (NAIRR) pilot, a pivotal White House initiative aimed at democratizing AI access and fostering diversity in technological innovation. The NSF grants will enable the KSU team to bring together educators from a diverse array of institutions—ranging from two-year colleges to research-intensive universities and Historically Black Colleges and Universities. The overarching goal is to identify gaps within existing curricula and outline essential recommendations to enrich AI education across all educational levels.
Dr. Wu’s vision transcends mere academic frameworks; he advocates for an inclusive approach to AI that reflects its interdisciplinary nature—impacting fields such as healthcare, finance, and engineering in addition to traditional computing majors. The educational structures put in place today will ultimately influence AI literacy and competency not only in higher education but also scholastic settings aimed at K-12 students. This foresight of establishing a comprehensive educational foundation is pivotal for future generations.
Furthermore, the NSF’s endorsement through these grants validates KSU’s expanding stature in national dialogues surrounding emerging technologies. Dr. Wu’s prominence within academic circles was recently underscored by his invitation to moderate a high-level panel at the Computing Research Association’s annual leadership summit. This gathering, which brings together department chairs and deans from institutions nationwide, reflects an increased awareness and advocacy for robust AI education practices.
The significance of these grants extends beyond KSU, placing it alongside esteemed institutions like the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and the University of Pennsylvania as leaders in shaping AI education. This recognition offers KSU a golden opportunity to not only augment its reputation but to also influence the wider discourse on how best to navigate the challenges and opportunities presented by AI technologies in an educational context.
In tandem with these developments, KSU’s College of Computing and Software Engineering (CCSE) has reiterated its commitment to innovation and accessibility. Dr. Yiming Ji, the Interim Dean of CCSE, emphasized that these NSF grants are an achievement not only for Dr. Wu but for the entire College. This initiative showcases the faculty’s collective endeavor to shape national discussions on AI education, guaranteeing that individuals from diverse backgrounds—including those at under-resourced institutions—benefit from shared knowledge and resources.
As institutions like KSU lead the charge toward structured AI education, the landscape is evolving rapidly, and educators must prepare students for a world where AI is an integrated and pervasive element. The implications of these changes extend beyond academia; they resonate through industries positioned to embrace AI’s capabilities and potential. In undertaking this mission, KSU is helping to pave the way for a more equitable and innovative educational framework that could serve as a model for institutions worldwide.
This undertaking heralds a new era in AI education, where collaboration and shared knowledge are not merely desired outcomes but necessary steps for enlightenment in the digital age. The ambitious project spearheaded by KSU exemplifies the essential role educational institutions play in preparing the workforce for the technologies that will define the future, creating pathways for success that reach all corners of the educational landscape.
Through the concerted efforts of educators dedicated to this cause, the vision of a coordinated approach to AI education may soon become a reality, laying the groundwork for a generation equally well-versed in the ethical, practical, and technological dimensions of artificial intelligence.
Subject of Research: Artificial Intelligence Education and Collaborative Framework
Article Title: Kennesaw State University Leads Charge in Transformative AI Education Initiative
News Publication Date: October 2023
Web References: Kennesaw State University
References: National Science Foundation, National AI Research Resource Initiative
Image Credits: Matt Yung / Kennesaw State University
Keywords
Artificial Intelligence, Education, National Science Foundation, Kennesaw State University, Technology Integration, AI Curriculum, Collaborative Initiatives, Workforce Development, Higher Education.
Tags: AI education initiativesartificial intelligence in educationcollaboration in AI teachingeducational practices in AIfuture of AI technologiesKennesaw State University grantsNational Science Foundation fundingnetwork of AI educatorspedagogical strategies for AIpreparing students for AI careerstransformative potential of AIunified framework for AI learning
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