India teaches AI to children from 8 years old

However, amid hopes of making AI a mainstream skill, many experts warn that limitations in teacher training, infrastructure and rote learning habits could hinder the program's effectiveness.

AI education will be “naturally integrated” from Grade 3, instead of being taught only in secondary school as it is now, the Ministry of Education announced late last month. The government has pledged to provide guidance materials, teacher handbooks and digital resources by December 2025 to support schools. AI was previously introduced into the curriculum as part of the new National Education Policy in 2020, alongside other contemporary subjects such as environmental education.

Currently, public schools and some private schools offer a 15-hour AI skills module for students in grades 6-8 and AI-related electives for high school students. As it expands down to the pre-school level, the number of children with access to AI education is expected to reach nearly 200 million by 2026.

However, significant challenges lie ahead. Many experts fear that the heavy workload will put enormous pressure on teachers, who are still struggling with basic technology skills.

“AI in schools is a positive step forward because free tools are easily accessible,” said Akshay Mashelkar, founder of education organization Experimind Labs. “However, it is unrealistic to expect teachers to be able to teach AI immediately, especially when most teachers are not familiar with digital teaching methods.”

Technology infrastructure is also a big problem. Ministry of Education data shows that only 63% of schools have internet access and 65% have computers, but only 58% of these computers are working properly. That means more than a third of schools do not have the basic conditions to deploy AI education.

In many rural areas, the restrictions are even more severe. Some schools have only one shared lab for multiple grades, and students must even gather around a single computer at lunchtime to access Wi-Fi.

In terms of methodology, experts recommend that AI education for young children should be intuitive and relevant to life rather than too technical. Experts suggest using games, stories and illustrations linked to familiar environments, such as voice assistants, weather apps or translation tools, to help children understand AI naturally.

“The biggest weakness of the Indian education system is rote learning, which can derail AI education,” said Yamini Aiyar, former president of the Centre for Policy Research. “If students only learn to the test and not to think critically, even AI knowledge can reinforce outdated learning habits. The most important skill is to ask questions about data.”

According to Nikkel Asia

Source: https://giaoducthoidai.vn/an-do-day-ai-cho-tre-tu-8-tuoi-post759133.html