Policies needed to close digital divide – DTI

MANILA, Philippines — In response to the need to equip the future workforce with essential artificial intelligence (AI) skills, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has underscored the necessity for comprehensive policies aimed at tackling the challenges arising from disparities in technology access within the country.

During the Asian Development Bank (ADB)’s 10th International Skills Forum yesterday, Trade Undersecretary Rafaelita Aldaba emphasized the need to equip the country’s workforce to be able to fully take advantage of the opportunities brought by AI.

“We need to have future ready skills in an AI-powered future. And apart from vital elements, such as information communication and education, achieving a critical mass of AI stakeholders in all sectors of society will be important, along with the building of digital infrastructure, both soft and hard infrastructure together with other government agencies,” Aldaba said.

She also noted the need to ensure that the quality of connectivity required by these technologies would be present.

“Some lack the necessary devices or internet connectivity, creating disparities in their ability to benefit from AI-powered educational resources,” Aldaba said.

The trade official explained that another challenge is the skills divide, noting that students and educators may have varying levels of digital literacy and proficiency that would affect their ability to effectively use AI tools.

Aldaba stressed the need for policies that will address the digital divide, ensuring equitable access to technology and digital learning resources for all students teacher training, saying this is crucial for a developing country like the Philippines.

She emphasized that the country is struggling as well in terms of providing teacher trainings, pointing out the need to equip them with all the AI needs that are necessary in order for them to be able to mentor their students.

“So we need to establish policies that require and support teacher training in AI literacy and responsible AI integration into the curriculum,” Aldaba said.

The trade official noted the need to implement accountability frameworks that hold educational institutions and AI providers responsible for the ethical and effective use of AI in education.

“We also need to create mechanisms for regular oversight and auditing of AI systems in education to identify and rectify the ethical issues and biases,” Aldaba said, adding the need for informed consent from students, parents and guardians regarding the use of AI in education.

“We need to address considerations in educational research involving AI, and ensure that participants’ rights and wellbeing are protected,” she said.

Aldaba also cited the need to encourage international collaboration and standards to ensure consistency and ethical best practices in AI powered education.

“So AI in education holds the promise of personalized learning and improved outcomes, but it must be implemented responsibly with careful consideration of the digital divide, ethical issues and appropriate policies that will safeguard our students and educators,” Aldaba said.

Apart from training teachers in AI literacy, business-led Philippine Business for Education (PBEd) urged the education department yesterday to reinforce the provision of comprehensive training and well-developed instructional materials to support teachers.

“Empowering teachers to master their subject matter not only demands an upskilling in pedagogical approaches but they must also be provided with the right resource materials. As we adapt to changes in the educational landscape, it’s essential to invest in both professional development and access to quality teaching resources,” PBEd Deputy Executive Director for Programs Hanibal Camua said in a statement yesterday.

PBEd cited the World Bank Group’s Fixing the Foundation: Teachers and Basic Education in East Asia and Pacific report, which found that the lack of subject mastery and ineffective teaching practices have contributed to the country’s high learning poverty rate.