AI Literacy in Ghana Must Begin with Teachers: Reclaiming Pedagogical Agency in the Age of Algorithms

 AI Literacy in Ghana Must Begin with Teachers: Reclaiming Pedagogical Agency in the Age of Algorithms

Introduction

Artificial intelligence is no longer on the horizon—it’s in our schools, on our students’ phones, and shaping how knowledge is accessed and produced. In Ghana and across the continent, learners are using tools like ChatGPT and Copilot to draft essays, summarize textbooks, and even simulate classroom discussions. But while students move fast, our systems lag behind. Most notably, our teachers remain underprepared for the pedagogical demands of AI.

1. The Digital Readiness Gap

According to MyJoyOnline, over 70% of sub-Saharan students lack access to basic digital infrastructure, and only 24% of teachers have received formal ICT training. This gap is not simply a technical issue. It represents a structural problem in how we conceptualize teacher readiness in an era where digital tools are becoming central to learning. AI literacy requires more than operating software, it demands critical understanding of how tools influence thinking, agency, and evaluation.

2. Why Coding Is Not Enough

There is increasing emphasis across Africa on getting students to “learn to code.” But as argued by Boison and Antwi-Boampong in Modern Ghana, coding alone is insufficient for preparing young people for life in algorithmic societies. AI systems must be read, not just used. Learners must develop awareness of how data is collected, how algorithms operate, and how bias, control, and power are embedded in these systems. And teachers are the ones best positioned to cultivate that literac, if they are trained to do so.

3. Teachers as Catalysts of AI Literacy

Digital and AI literacy should not be treated as bolt-ons to the curriculum. They must be embedded into teacher education—from Colleges of Education to in-service workshops. One trained teacher can influence hundreds of learners. A confident, critically aware teacher can demystify AI, contextualize it within Ghanaian realities, and even interrogate it through an Afrocentric pedagogical lens.

For instance, during Africa AI Literacy Week, over 700 teachers were trained across six countries, including Kenya, Senegal, and Togo. But Ghana must do more. Our education strategy must recognize teachers not just as implementers, but as co-authors of digital futures.

4. Next Steps for Ghana

  • Curriculum Reform: Introduce AI ethics, digital systems thinking, and critical media literacy into teacher training curricula.

  • Localized Content: Develop culturally relevant AI literacy toolkits in Ghanaian languages.

  • Sustainable CPD: Move beyond one-off digital training to ongoing peer mentorship and institutional support.

  • Equity Focus: Prioritize inclusion for rural educators and underserved schools through public–private partnerships.

Conclusion

The AI moment is not just about tools, it’s about thought. Ghana must ensure that educators are equipped not only to use AI, but to guide students in asking hard questions about its role in learning and life. The future of AI literacy in Africa is not technical first—it is pedagogical. And it begins in the teacher’s mind long before it reaches the student’s screen.

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