The shortage of textbooks designed for Nigeria’s revised national curriculum is driving more teachers to use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to source instructional materials, conduct research and prepare lessons.
Education stakeholders disclosed this during separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Wednesday, noting that AI was helping teachers overcome gaps in the availability of relevant learning resources.
The Headteacher of Zinaria International School, Muazu Mohammed, said the technology had become increasingly useful, particularly for subjects introduced under the new curriculum.
He explained that the transition from the previous curriculum had left teachers struggling to find suitable textbooks for some subjects, forcing them to explore other sources of educational content.
Mohammed listed Digital Literacy, Coding and Fashion Design among the subjects for which relevant textbooks were difficult to obtain.
He said AI had helped him access teaching materials, gather information and develop lesson plans, adding that he had yet to find a Geography textbook for Senior Secondary School One that adequately covered the revised curriculum.
Although he maintained that textbooks remained important to teaching and learning, he said AI was providing additional support where conventional resources were lacking.
Similarly, the proprietor of High Grade International School, Charles Umekwe, described AI as a useful resource for improving teaching, research and administrative tasks.
However, he cautioned that the technology should complement rather than replace teachers, stressing that human judgement, experience and interaction remained essential to effective learning.
Umekwe advised teachers to verify AI-generated content and ensure it reflected the Nigerian curriculum, approved schemes of work, pupils’ ages and their learning environments.
He warned that poorly framed instructions could generate materials based on foreign educational systems that might not be suitable for Nigerian learners.
The school proprietor also called for more training to equip teachers, particularly those in nursery and primary schools, with the skills needed to use AI effectively.
He further cautioned against excessive dependence on the technology, saying it could weaken independent thinking, research abilities and problem-solving skills among teachers and pupils.
According to him, inaccurate information, unreliable internet access and the misuse of AI during examinations and academic research remain some of the challenges associated with its adoption.
Despite these limitations, Umekwe said the advantages of AI, including faster research and easier lesson preparation, made it beneficial to the education sector.
He urged teachers to embrace the technology while retaining responsibility for the quality, accuracy and relevance of materials used in classrooms.
(NAN)
