Crnogorski
English
UNESCO’s Director-General, Audrey Azoulay, has decided to dedicate the 2025 International Day of Education (Friday, January 24) to the opportunities and challenges of artificial intelligence. She calls on UNESCO Member States to invest in training both teachers and students on the responsible use of this technology in the education sector.
"Artificial intelligence offers great opportunities for education, provided that its development in schools is guided by clear ethical principles. To reach its full potential, this technology must complement the human and social dimensions of learning, rather than replace them. It must serve as a tool for both teachers and students, with the primary goal of enhancing their autonomy and well-being."
— Audrey Azoulay, UNESCO Director-General
By dedicating the 2025 International Day of Education to artificial intelligence, UNESCO aims to initiate a global discussion on the role of this technology in education. The organization has scheduled conferences in Paris and New York, as well as an international webinar.
Nations Divided Between Adoption and Restriction
Artificial intelligence is becoming increasingly present in education. In high-income countries, more than two-thirds of secondary school students already use generative AI tools for school assignments. Teachers are also increasingly integrating AI into lesson planning and student assessments. Even academic counseling and admission processes, traditionally led by educators and specialists, are now more frequently influenced by AI-powered decision-making.
However, education professionals still lack clear guidelines for these practices. According to a UNESCO survey conducted in May 2023 with a sample of 450 institutions, only 10% of schools and universities currently have an official framework for AI use. By 2022, only seven countries had developed training programs for teachers on AI, and just 15 nations had incorporated AI-related training objectives into their national curricula.
At the same time, a growing number of countries are imposing restrictions on the use of new technologies in classrooms. According to recent UNESCO data, nearly 40% of countries now have laws or policies banning mobile phone use in schools—compared to 24% in July 2023.
A Tool That Must Serve Teachers and Students
With its broad mandate covering education, science, culture, and information, UNESCO has been addressing the challenges of artificial intelligence for nearly a decade. In November 2021, its Member States adopted the world’s first global framework on AI ethics.
In the field of education, UNESCO published the first guidelines for generative AI in education and research in September 2023. In 2024, it released two AI competency frameworks for students and teachers, addressing both the potential and risks of AI to ensure its safe, ethical, inclusive, and responsible use. These publications also propose a minimum age requirement of 13 years for AI use in classrooms.
UNESCO also emphasizes that government funding for AI must be additional and should not divert resources already allocated to education—especially at a time when 1 in 4 primary schools still lacks electricity and 60% are not connected to the internet.
The fundamental needs of education must remain a priority: well-managed and well-equipped schools, with highly trained, well-paid, and motivated teachers who are fully dedicated to their mission.
