AI Critical To Education Sector – Varsity Don

Coordinator, Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World (OWSD), Umudike branch, Prof Mabel Onwuka has described Artificial Intelligence (AI) as critical to the education sector.

Onwuka stated this during the 2025 Lecture Series of the branch at Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike (MOUAU), countering the misconceptions that AI is a potential threat to employment.

Her words: “This event is aimed at guiding the members on how best to integrate AI and digital tools with human capabilities for more effective academic and research outcomes.”

The professor of Soil Science, therefore, called for strategic and complementary use of the AI and digital tools to enhance teaching and research in the country.

Contributing, the national coordinator of OWSD, Prof. Olayinka Nwachukwu, emphasized the need for widespread adoption of AI and the importance of its responsible and ethical use.

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She lauded the branch for organising the “timely lecture”, noting that the initiative would not only boost efficiency in education but also offer practical solutions to challenges in various sectors.

Delivering a keynote lecture entitled “Leveraging AI for Teaching and Research – Practical and Effective Use of ChatGPT and Google Forms”, Dr. Flora Mukah said AI is a supportive tool, not a replacement for lecturers.

She described AI as the simulation of human intelligence in machines, which, when combined with human effort can significantly enhance outcomes.

Identifying several applications of AI in academia, including teaching, data analysis, writing assistance, automated research support, and coding, she stressed its ethical usage

According to her: “Tools like ChatGPT save time, improve efficiency, and boost accuracy — provided users input high-quality prompts, as the output depends on the quality of the input.”

The deputy coordinator, Prof. Judith Simoyan, lauded the vice-chancellor, MOUAU, Prof. Maduebibisi Iwe, and the executive director, National Root Crops Research Institute, Umudike, Prof Chiedozie Egesi for their support.