In the winding corridors of our schools, whether in Karachi, Lahore, or a remote village in Sindh or Balochistan, echoes of chalk on slate and the crack of old benches still dominate the classroom. As a teacher-mentor, I often reflect on the immense pressures our children face: cramming for board exams, rote learning, large class sizes, and limited time with overworked teachers. Now, as artificial intelligence (AI) begins to infiltrate global classrooms, the question arises: Could AI transform education in Pakistan and if so, how?
In this article, I explore the promise and the perils of AI in Pakistani schools. I try to see it through the eyes of concerned parents, busy teachers, and hopeful students, rooted in South Asian realities.
Why AI Feels Like a Tempting Solution
Personalised learning in a crowded classroom
One of the stubborn realities of many Pakistani schools is overcrowding. A teacher often ends up managing 30 to 50 children at once. How can one possibly give personal attention to each student, identify who is struggling, and adjust the teaching pace accordingly?
That’s where AI-powered platforms show promise. According to a recent survey of 125 educators in Pakistani K-12 schools, over two-thirds expressed willingness to adopt AI tools, especially to assist in lesson planning and content creation. (arXiv) AI can help tailor lessons, adapt the difficulty level to a child’s pace, and even provide additional exercises when a concept is unclear.
Such personalised learning could mean that students who once lagged behind, perhaps because their teacher couldn’t explain a concept clearly to them or because they understood it more slowly, now receive individual attention through AI tutoring. This could help break the “one-size-fits-all, memorise-and-regurgitate” model that dominates many classrooms.
Lightening the burdens on teachers so they can teach, not just proctor
Many teachers in Pakistan are overworked, as they are responsible not only for delivering lessons but also for handling administrative tasks such as attendance, grading, preparing schedules, and monitoring the progress of weaker students. AI tools have the potential to reduce this load. As some reports note, AI in Pakistani institutions is already being utilised to automate routine tasks, enabling teachers to devote more time to instruction, mentoring, or creative lesson planning. (cats.edu.pk)
In an ideal scenario, AI becomes a silent assistant: it tracks class participation, notes which students are lagging behind, suggests tailored exercises, and flags areas of concern, enabling teachers to intervene more meaningfully with individualised attention.
Opening doors for underserved communities
In rural or under-resourced areas, quality teachers are often in short supply. AI-powered learning platforms, virtual tutors, or mobile-based learning apps can help fill that void. This is particularly important for students who might otherwise drop out due to a lack of access to quality teaching or resources. (irjei.com)
In principle, AI could help expand educational access, bridging some of the long-standing divides between urban and rural areas, as well as between the rich and the poor, the privileged and the marginalised.
Why AI Is No Magic Wand and Why Parents Should Be Cautious
Digital divide: access is uneven and fragile
For all its potential, AI relies on basic infrastructure: reliable electricity, internet connectivity, functional computers or devices, and luxuries that are often lacking in many schools across Pakistan. Studies warn that many educational institutions simply lack the readiness to host AI-based platforms, especially in rural or low-income areas.
Even within cities, socioeconomic disparities create unequal access to digital resources. As a result, students from well-off backgrounds may benefit, while others may fall further behind, deepening existing inequalities.
Lack of culturally relevant content and local adaptation
Even when AI platforms are available, they are often designed outside of Pakistan with content that may not reflect our language, context, or cultural norms. One study notes that many teachers feel AI content “doesn’t relate to our students’ lives; it’s not practical for our classroom context.” (IRJMSS)
Applying foreign tools without localisation can result in alienating learners, undermining the very purpose of education: making learning resonate with students’ lived experiences.
Teacher anxiety, job security, and diminished human connection
Some educators worry that if AI becomes central to teaching, their role could be reduced to oversight. In such a scenario, the warmth, mentorship, and critical human bond between teacher and student might weaken. (IRJMSS)
There is concern over over-reliance on AI: when students are constantly fed AI-generated content or feedback, their own thinking, creativity, and critical reasoning skills may atrophy. (journalpsa.com.pk)
Ethical concerns: academic dishonesty, privacy, and bias
AI tools may simplify academic tasks, but they also raise ethical and practical issues. For instance, in higher education contexts in Pakistan, concerns have been raised that students may misuse AI to write assignments, thereby undermining academic integrity. (The Reporters)
AI systems may carry biases or make mistakes, especially when they’re trained on data not tailored to Pakistani students. Mistakes, unfair assessments, or culturally insensitive feedback could harm learners rather than help them. A recent paper on integrating AI in K–12 STEM education warns about “algorithmic bias, student privacy, and the risk of deepening inequities.” (arXiv)
What I Hope to See and What I Fear
Having walked the corridors of public and private schools over the past decade, I often imagine what classrooms might look like in 2030.
- I hope AI will relieve teachers of mundane burdens, enabling them to mentor, inspire, and nurture.
- I hope for adaptive learning so that every child, fast or slow, privileged or underserved, gets a fair shot.
- I hope that remote-area children can access quality content, breaking the cycle of educational deprivation.
But I also fear:
- That teachers might become mere facilitators, while critical human elements of education, such as care, moral guidance, and community, get lost.
- That students might substitute thinking with copying, knowledge with quick AI-generated answers.
- Those ethical concerns, privacy, fairness, and bias, might remain ignored in the rush to “modernise.”
What needs to be done to make AI work the Pakistani Way
If AI is to truly benefit education in Pakistan, we need a thoughtful, grounded, and culturally sensitive approach. In my view, here are some key steps:
1. Invest in infrastructure and equal access
Policymakers at the provincial and national levels must prioritise reliable electricity, affordable internet, and access to devices in all schools, including those in rural areas. Without the basics, AI will remain a luxury reserved for urban areas.
2. Provide teacher training and support, not just tools
Teachers must be trained not only in how to use AI tools, but in the pedagogy of AI: when to use AI, when to rely on human judgment, and how to combine both for balanced learning. Professional development in AI competency should be part of teacher training programs. This aligns with global calls for “human-centred AI,” where AI supports, not replaces, educators. (qjss.com.pk)
3. Develop locally relevant content and culturally sensitive curricula
EdTech firms, universities, and education departments must collaborate to build AI learning content that reflects Pakistan’s language, culture, curriculum needs, and social context.
4. Design ethical guidelines, data privacy and fairness policies
To avoid misuse, cheating, bias or discrimination, there must be clear policies around data collection, student privacy, AI transparency, and fairness in assessment. Teachers and administrators should understand the limits and responsibilities of AI usage.
5. Keep human connection at the heart of education
Above all, we must remember that education is not just about facts or grades; it’s about character development, creativity, ethics, social skills, and critical thinking. AI should support, not replace, the deeply human aspects of teaching.
What I would tell parents and students who are anxious or hopeful
- Be hopeful, but realistic. AI has real potential to help, but only if it is implemented carefully, with equity, fairness, and care.
- Encourage curiosity and critical thinking. Use AI as a helping hand, not as a crutch. Let children think, reason, and make mistakes; that’s how real learning happens.
- Support school efforts in training and infrastructure development. Sometimes, simple advocacy or community support can make a difference. Push for better resources, demand digital access, or request teacher training.
- Stay vigilant about fairness and privacy. Ask your school: What data is collected, how is it used, and who has access to it? Insist on transparency.
- Value human relationships. Remind your children that their teacher, not a machine, is still the guide, mentor, and role model.
Looking Ahead: A Balanced Vision for Pakistani Classrooms
I cannot help but imagine a different future: one where a child in a remote village watches her screen at dusk, learning geometry far beyond her B-grade teacher’s capacity; another child in Karachi uses AI to practice better English or math; a teacher sitting in a staff room, freed from piles of homework copies, working one-on-one with a struggling student.
However, that future can only become real if we approach AI not as a quick fix or a silver bullet, but as a tool. A tool that must be adapted to our realities, grounded in fairness, guided by ethics, supported by teachers, and anchored in human values.
If we manage to walk that path by investing in infrastructure, training educators, safeguarding rights, and staying committed to our children’s holistic development, then perhaps AI will not just transform education but help Pakistan’s next generation flourish with dignity, opportunity, and hope.