As education enters a new era shaped by Artificial Intelligence (AI), one thing is becoming clear: the future of learning depends not just on technology, but on teachers—teachers who do more than deliver lessons, but who inspire, guide, and support students to grow as people. AI is opening up new possibilities for how we teach and learn. But no matter how advanced it becomes, technology can never replace the human connection that great educators bring. This moment is full of potential, but we must also face some uncomfortable truths about how education is being shaped—and who is being left out of that conversation.
First, teachers need to take back control of their profession. Too often, big decisions about education are made by people who have never worked in a classroom—policymakers, business leaders, or tech experts. Teachers are expected to follow plans they didn’t help create. At the same time, some educators have held onto outdated ways of teaching, especially focusing too much on exams. These approaches can limit students’ creativity and curiosity. If teachers want to lead the future of education, they must speak up—and also be willing to adapt and grow.
Second, we must treat teachers with the respect and support they deserve. In many countries, teachers are underpaid and overworked. Take Uganda, where the government decided to pay science teachers nearly five times more than humanities teachers. The goal was to promote innovation, but this kind of pay gap divides the profession and sends the wrong message—that some subjects matter more than others. A strong education system needs all kinds of knowledge, from science to art to history. One group shouldn’t be valued over another.
Third, not all reforms help students equally. For example, the U.S. No Child Left Behind policy tried to close learning gaps but ended up focusing too much on test scores. It put pressure on schools and teachers without really improving learning. Because teachers weren’t meaningfully involved in designing the policy, it created space for testing companies to profit while pushing aside more thoughtful, long-term learning goals.
Fourth, we must be careful about companies and organizations that claim to “fix” education. Many EdTech firms and non-profits use big words like “impact” or “innovation,” but behind the scenes, they are more focused on making money or growing fast. In poorer communities especially, these groups often offer one-size-fits-all solutions that may look good on paper but don’t truly help students or respect local needs.
Finally, we need to change the way people in power think about education technology. Right now, some see AI and digital tools as ways to control learning — to monitor, manage, and rank students. But education is not about control; it’s about growth. If we don’t shift this mindset, even the best tools will fail to make a real difference.
In the end, it’s not technology that will shape the future of education — it’s people. We must give teachers more voice, trust, and leadership. And we must treat education as a shared responsibility that belongs to everyone, not just a service or product to be sold.
Only then can we truly use AI to support learning — and allow great educators to lead us forward, just as Sir Ken Robinson imagined: into a future where every child is supported to explore, create, and thrive.
