Pedagogy must come before AI, says Sinyolo
Education expert Sinyolo argues that pedagogy and human interaction must remain the priority over AI integration in classrooms. He warns that reliance on AI for assignments could lead to a generation of students who lack critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
Why it matters
It highlights the growing tension between technological efficiency and the preservation of human-centric learning models in global education systems.
Sinyolo said AI should complement education rather than replace the human interaction and critical thinking that remained at the heart of teaching and learning.
“Pedagogy before AI, not AI before pedagogy. And we should put the human being always before AI, not AI before the human being,” he said.
He was speaking during the 26th Session of the Pan-African Conference on Teacher Education (PACTED) 2026 at the Palazzo Convention Centre in Eswatini, where delegates discussed the future of teacher education amid rapid technological developments.
Sinyolo said the African concept of Ubuntu, which emphasised human relationships, tolerance, support and interconnectedness, should remain central as education systems embraced AI.
“Ubuntu, that which binds us together as human beings is relational. The way we relate to each other, we tolerate each other, we support each other. That is Ubuntu,” he said.
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