Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek recently suggested introducing Artificial Intelligence (AI) basics to primary school students starting in 2027.
"Among the digital knowledge and skills that will be implemented in the new curriculum are those related to AI.
"Pupils will be introduced to AI basics at the primary school level in the new technology and digital subject. Further exploration and application of AI will continue in the same subject in secondary school, as well as in the computer science, information and communications technology, and design and technology subjects," she said in Parliament.
She was responding to a question from a PH MP, Pang Hok Liong.
2027 is also the year when the current syllabus will be reviewed. While this might seem a noble intention at first sight, one needs to take a step back and be cautious of such a grand idea.
Yes, AI is the talk of the town, for now. It is the current buzzword. And that is a problem. You simply don't know when the trend and the hype will die off.
This is not to argue the importance of AI. The potential benefits of AI education are undeniable, but the burden should not be shouldered by primary students. The timing and priority of such initiatives warrant careful consideration.
Initiatives aimed at promoting digital literacy and computational thinking can be introduced gradually, starting from secondary school after students have mastered a solid foundation in core subjects. Even if the AI module involves teaching simple prompts, it should be taught to secondary students where the module can be integrated into the current RBT subject.
The basics for primary students are the 3M skills - Membaca, Menulis, Mengira. In addition to this, there is also mastery of the 4C - collaboration, communication, critical thinking, and creative thinking.
Earlier this month, Fadhlina told Parliament in a written reply that over 400,000 primary and secondary schools are having learning problems, with 280,985 primary pupils yet to master the Malay language subject.
This situation, if not addressed, will cause students to lose interest in schools when they enter secondary schools, exacerbating the already declining interest among SPM-leavers to further their studies.
The Ministry should also get their priorities straight with 'sekolah daif' and the lack of proper facilities available - from toilets to computers. More urgency is required to tackle the issue of quality teaching, reducing class sizes, and heavy syllabuses. By adopting a balanced approach that prioritizes needs over trends, Malaysia can ensure that every child receives the quality education they deserve, laying the groundwork for a brighter and more inclusive future.
Physicist and author Dr. Zamir Mohyedin gave his thoughts on this matter in a Facebook post, stating that there are many other basic skills under the sun that primary students have yet to master.
“How often do we use AI in our daily life that we need to introduce it in the primary school curriculum? If asked to learn AI early on, (students) will use AI to draft a write-up.
"They won't be able to write letters or articles on their own. If they want to find answers, they will just ask AI- They will become lazy to read and understand the contexts,” he said, adding that AI technology is akin to telephone and television.
“It is not a basic knowledge. But the use of it needs basic skills such as writing, reading, counting, thinking.”
He gave examples of why calculators and Microsoft Word are not taught in primary schools.
Automotive engineer Dr. Ahmad Syahid Ahmad Fawzal agrees.
“Better to leave AI to university. It's called Artificial intelligence. School kids need to be educated first before they can understand the concepts in AI. The more we teach harder subjects, the more they will run away from technical fields later on. They lose interest because it is not the time yet (to introduce the subject)," he said.
Generative AI has made waves recently with many platforms that are readily available with both free and paid versions. Household names include ChatGPT and MidJourney, where users can simply put in prompts to get the texts and visuals they desire.
The Malays have a saying: Yang dikejar tak dapat, yang dikendong berciciran.
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