OSC SECRETARY-GENERAL URGES AFRICAN SCHOOLS TO SHIFT FROM PROBLEM-SOLVING TO PROBLEM-POSING
Bin Mussallam warns outdated curriculums risk failing students in the AI era; supports Nigeria’s push for tech innovation hub
Secretary-General of the Organisation of Southern Cooperation (OSC), Manssour Bin Mussallam, has called on African education authorities to overhaul school curricula, shifting emphasis from merely solving problems to cultivating students’ ability to pose questions—especially relevant in the age of artificial intelligence (AI).
In an interview with The PUNCH in Abuja, Bin Mussallam argued that curricula fixed on problem-solving will falter in dynamic, AI-driven contexts. “In AI today … two people can ask for the same thing from ChatGPT and get very different results. Why? One knew how to problematise the issues,” he said, noting the importance of framing questions smartly to guide the AI. He also pointed out that current AI tools often fail to support African realities—excelling at French-English translation, yet performing poorly in many indigenous languages due to biased training data.
The OSC, established in 2020 and headquartered in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, spans membership across Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Caribbean, and the Pacific . It champions a “Third Way of Development” rooted in Balanced and Inclusive Education (BIE), and supports endogenous innovation, technology, and equitable education tailored to Southern contexts .
Bin Mussallam emphasized that future curricula should train youth not just to reply, but “to articulate the right questions, to analyse their society and problematise the issues.” This forward-thinking model anticipates AI that responds to the continent’s realities—not just imported solutions.
The appeal coincides with Nigeria’s ongoing discussions around establishing a technological innovation hub, aimed at boosting digital skills, research, and homegrown development. Bin Mussallam supports this platform as crucial for empowering Africa’s youth and translating curricula reforms into tangible technological advancement.
Source: osc.int, Punch
