Education authorities should guide AI use, not ban it — Prof. Addy 

Professor Nii Tetteh Addy, a United States-based Professor of Physics and Mathematics, has urged teachers and education authorities to embrace Artificial Intelligence (AI) as a learning tool.

He said attempts to prevent students from using AI were impractical because the technology had become integral to education, research and the modern workplace.

Prof. Addy made the call at the 86th Anniversary Speech and Prize Giving Day of Odorgonno Senior High School (OSSA) in Accra, where he was the keynote speaker.

He cautioned teachers against becoming “moral police” on AI, stressing that students would inevitably use the technology in higher education and throughout their careers.

“Flow with your time. Flow with the students,” he said. “Whatever we do now, when the students graduate, they are going to use AI. Why are you trying to prevent them from using AI?”

Prof. Addy, an alumnus of the school, said the appropriate response to the increasing use of AI was not prohibition but education on its responsible and ethical use.

He, however, cautioned students against relying entirely on AI-generated content without understanding the concepts behind it.

“Use AI responsibly. Don't just copy and paste. If you only copy and paste, you are not learning. You lose your cognitive mind,” he said.

Prof. Addy said he dedicated the first two weeks of every course he taught to discussions on the responsible use of AI to help students understand both its opportunities and limitations.

He said AI was transforming sectors including healthcare, engineering, architecture and research, and should be viewed as a tool for innovation and productivity rather than a threat.

“AI is not just for fraud. It is the future,” he said. “Doctors are using it to diagnose illnesses. Architects are using it to design buildings. Every sector is being transformed.”

Prof. Addy called on education authorities to review assignments and assessment methods to ensure they reflected current technological realities.

He said traditional approaches to teaching and assessment could become less effective if schools failed to acknowledge the growing influence of AI on learning and information gathering.

Prof. Addy urged teachers to guide students in developing critical thinking, creativity and problem-solving skills to enable them to use AI effectively while maintaining academic integrity.

He also encouraged students to combine academic excellence with good character, saying success in life depended not only on educational achievement but also on personal values and integrity.

“Education will give you wings, but your character will give you direction,” he said.

The event formed part of activities marking the school’s 86th anniversary and brought together educationists, old students, parents and government officials to celebrate academic excellence and the institution’s achievements.

GNA