ONLINE ROBOT TEACHER FOR SCHOOLS

MBABANE – An artificial teacher named Nomfundo has been designed to teach learners in Eswatini schools.
The robot teacher is the ‘creation’ of the Schools Online Foundation, which is introducing an artificial intelligence (AI) programme, a first-of-its kind in the country.

Though at this stage Nomfundo will not replace any teacher, the rollout of AI teachers in parts of the world has been viewed cynically for its potential to replace teachers. Nomfundo will deliver educational content, provide personalised instruction, and facilitate learning experiences. The Nomfundo AI Programme will start operating from next week in schools such as Evelyn Baring, Salesian and Somnjalose High.

Transform

The Schools Online Foundation is a non-profit organisation (NGO), working with the Ministry of Education and Training to transform the level of education in schools. Nomfundo is an online-speaking robot (chatbot) specifically trained on the Eswatini syllabus, entrepreneurship, guidance and counselling, life skills, composition and essay, marking, siSwati translation and anything a person would want to know. It has also been trained or fed with local content.

It can do many things done by teachers within a short space of time. Countries such as Kenya and South Africa top Africa in AI usage in schools. In terms of its success rate, Kenya topped with 60 per cent of its learner population in Africa while SA sits at 33 per cent. The training of the Nomfundo AI is said to have started in August 2023, and is now ready to operate.

Attention

Very soon, the model will be teaching all subjects in siSwati for learners’ sake, even though it is still inefficient, due to the fact that it is a new model, requiring more attention. Lungelo Dlamini, the Director of Schools Online Foundation, said the Nomfundo AI Programme would help both teachers and learners in understanding all subjects.

Dlamini said the concept of the AI programme was adopted from the international education sector and modelled for local schools. He further said they had been collaborating with the ministry in doing other online programmes.
Dlamini explained that for an AI to be in full operation and be effective in a particular context, it must first be a trained model.

“In this case, Nomfundo AI must be trained based on Eswatini’s context and where exactly it will be used and how it will operate. This is a chatbot, more than anything. In short, it is a robot, human-like in nature, where one will get a chance to converse with it and get the help he or she wants,” said Dlamini.

Meanwhile, Dlamini said they had programmed Nomfundo in such a way that learners would only get the necessary information they wanted inasfar as their education was concerned. “A pupil is able to get a lesson from this robot based on a particular topic. It is also able to give notes to learners, open a platform for questions and answers as well as give an extra exercise, after the lecture. Nomfundo is able to see if learners missed certain steps when attempting certain questions, before giving advice. Vele nguthishela lona in the education context,” he said. Dlamini said the online robot had been trained based on the country’s syllabus and its context for all the subjects under the Eswatini curriculum.

He stated that the model was also in a position to assist any school dropout by offering lessons as well as preparing that individual for an examination. He said that would happen based on what that particular learner wanted to pursue as a career. Also, Dlamini indicated that Nomfundo was able to offer counselling to learners, as they would converse with it and also make recommendations on whom to go and see for advice.

“If a child feels depressed or has mental problems, Nomfundo can be a companion for that individual. It can bring comfort to someone aggrieved. On the same note, the person can be able to share their problems with the robot and then come up with a long-lasting solution,” said Dlamini. Furthermore, Nomfundo is trained on life skills. Dlamini said the model had been trained on issues revolving around gender identity.

The director noted: “This model is now trained in such a way that it is able to instill Eswatini culture to learners and how they should conduct themselves when abroad.” Moreover, the artificial teacher has been trained to be an entrepreneur specialist. The director stated that people were able to get information on how to write business plans for businesses that would be relevant to the the 21st century. “Nomfundo is able to come up with names of people one needs to contact regarding any business idea. This model is able to assist even those who never completed high school by telling them the kind of things they could do,” he said.

Challenges

When Dlamini was asked to state Nomfundo’s challenges, he said the model was costly, at the moment, since even internationally it was quite new. He said its costs, including its operations was at E50 000. He said they would do anything possible to make it affordable to emaSwati. According to Dlamini, the model needed a software for it to operate and be installed online. He said such a software was costly.

“There are certain features such as giving a diagram or video an article one wants to write about, which we have disabled from Nomfundo due to the costs. For now, we want to see how emaSwati view Nomfundo and take it from there,” he said. He then pleaded for financial assistance so that the programme may spread to other schools, even those situated in rural areas. Globally, experts have pointed out challenges brought about by AI, more especially to pupils. Some argued that AI made learners lazy to do things on their own, such that they eventually lacked the skill of being critical thinkers.

Information

On this, Dlamini said: “What we have done with Nomfundo is that it cannot give you any information, unless it has been probed first. You are supposed to have a conversation with this online robot before it gives you the information you need. It operates differently from any other AI internationally. Nomfundo ngeke abe nguvumazonke,” he said.

Dlamini said they would be engaging teachers on how to probe Nomfundo for answers. When the Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Education and Training, Bhekithemba Gama was sought for comment regarding the programme, he said he was not aware of the AI, though it was discussed on national radio. He, however, acknowledged that such a programme  was a great initiative.

When Dlamini was asked about the PS’s response, he said he would meet him personally today. On another note, Dr Armstrong Simelane, the Senior Information Communication and Technology (ICT) Manager under the Ministry of Education and Training in the Shiselweni Region, said the Schools Online Foundation had done a tremendous job by taking the education system to another dimension in the region. He said the online school programme was first introduced at Ngudzeni FEA High School.

Learning

Simelane said other schools, such as Mhawu High, Evelyn Baring, Somnjalose, among others, adopted this new way of learning, which they applauded. He said the foundation had helped learners from these schools know how to answer examination questions. “As of today, end of year results of these schools have improved tremendously. We have eight online schools and they are excelling,” said Simelane. Simelane said even during the COVID-19 era, the foundation came to the party to help learners from some schools get excellent results.

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