NDR 2025: Developing human qualities key priority for schools in age of AI, says PM Wong

Straits Times

20 hours ago

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In this age of AI, what really matters are human qualities that machines cannot replicate, PM Lawrence Wong said.
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SINGAPORE – Schools are working to help students become discerning users of technology, amid growing concerns that they may rely too much on artificial intelligence and take short-cuts.
Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said there is unease that students may not make the effort to learn and master the fundamentals.
Ultimately, the concern is that they may never learn how to think for themselves, he said on Aug 17 at his second National Day Rally at the ITE College Central in Ang Mo Kio.
He cited an example of a teacher who noticed that his students' essays improved almost overnight, and later found out they had used AI chatbot ChatGPT to improve their writing.
Earlier in his speech,
he had spoken about how AI , which he called 'the defining technology of our time,' has begun to reshape Singapore's economy, changing companies and jobs at every level of society.
While schools are working to strengthen their digital skills, in this age of AI, what really matters are human qualities that machines cannot replicate, PM Wong said.
The Government is doing more to develop students' character, values, empathy and a sense of purpose, he said, preparing them not for exams but for life.
More allied educators and teacher-counsellors are being deployed across schools and schools are also placing greater emphasis on character and citizenship education, he added.
He said: 'This is the key priority for our school leaders and educators – and I hope parents will give them their full support.'
The Government wants students to have the curiosity to keep learning, the empathy to care for those around them and the confidence and resilience to take on the challenges life throws at them, he added.
With technology advancing so quickly, some parents may feel the need to start their children earlier to help them learn faster and cover more content from a younger age, he noted.
But learning has never been just about packing in more content and knowledge, he said. 'It's about developing the ability to think, to solve problems and to keep learning throughout life.'
The reality is that Singaporeans now live in a digital age, and there are huge upsides to being digitally connected, PM Wong said.
These include greater access to knowledge, more avenues to express themselves and new ways to connect.
While Singaporeans must make full use of these technologies, they must also be clear-eyed about the downsides and manage them carefully.
This means striking the right balance between protecting youth from potential harms and equipping and empowering them to fully exploit the benefits of technology, he said.
As children grow older, they will need to navigate the digital world with confidence, he said.
Singapore must help them build 'digital resilience' so they understand the risks and gain the skills and know-how, and learn to use technology safely and effectively, PM Wong said.
In schools, teachers play an important role in teaching students about cyberwellness and instilling good digital habits, he added.
More importantly, they help students become discerning and responsible users of technology, he said.
'That means not to blindly trust everything the internet or AI says. But to question, reflect and form their own judgements.'
PM Wong said the teacher who realised his students had used ChatGPT could have banned the chatbot outright but instead turned it into a learning opportunity.
He got the class to read and discuss the AI-generated essays, and challenged them to not just accept what the AI had given them but to critique it and find ways to make it better.
PM Wong said: 'That's the kind of teaching no AI can ever replace.'
Another educator Ms Francesca Lau – a Chinese teacher at Corporation Primary - created an AI chatbot to help her pupils practise Mandarin and get feedback, said PM Wong.
Ms Francesca Lau, a Chinese teacher at Corporation Primary, created an AI chatbot to help her pupils practise Mandarin and get feedback.
PHOTO: MDDI
Efforts are also underway to strengthen digital skills of students at the tertiary level, he said, not just for those studying computer science or engineering but for all disciplines.
He said: 'In the past, digital skills meant knowing how to use a word processor or a spreadsheet. Now we are teaching students to build and use AI models – to generate ideas and solve problems in their field.
'This way, they will be better equipped for a world where technology is embedded in every profession.'
Watch PM Wong's National Day Rally speech here: