Experts on Tuesday, 18 August, called for the responsible integration of Artificial Intelligence in higher education, urging institutions to establish clear guidelines for students and lecturers, adopt new forms of assessment, and reinforce critical thinking. The positions were presented during a webinar held under the theme 'Artificial Intelligence in Teaching and Learning: Opportunities, Challenges and Perspectives.'
Professor Belarmino Botão of Universidade Joaquim Chissano (UJC) argued that AI should not replace teachers but transform the way they work. 'AI will not replace teachers — it will replace tasks,' he said, adding that 'we should not ban AI; we should teach people how to use it,' since those who master the technology with critical thinking will hold a sustainable advantage.
Botão also called for a revision of traditional assessment methods, particularly those based on memorisation. In his view, 'universities should place greater value on students' ability to formulate questions, solve problems, analyse responses, make decisions, and demonstrate critical thinking.'
On scientific research, Botão identified AI as a tool capable of supporting literature reviews, article summarisation, gap identification, hypothesis formulation, programming, statistical analysis, and academic writing. He cautioned, however, that the use of the technology does not eliminate the need for scientific rigour, methodology, and validation of results.
Delcínio Chirindza, an engineer and UJC lecturer responsible for the Applications and Information Systems area, drew attention to the need to protect personal data, academic work, source code, and internal documents when using public AI platforms. 'Teachers and students must verify in advance whether they have authorisation to share certain content with these tools, in order to safeguard confidentiality and the rights of authors,' he said.
Vanildo Pedro, engineer and director-general of Cybersecurity, argued that Mozambique and other African countries should not limit themselves to consuming AI solutions developed abroad. He said investment is needed in professional training, scientific research, and the development of models capable of addressing the specific needs and contexts of the African continent.
'Security must remain central, especially as students, teachers, and professionals begin using these tools across different activities. We had very rich presentations here, which were fundamental in laying very solid foundations for what participants should observe in terms of AI-related concepts,' said Vanildo Pedro.
All three specialists called for greater institutional readiness for technological transformation, including the integration of AI into curricula, the establishment of AI and data science laboratories, and the promotion of applied research initiatives and partnerships between academic institutions, government, and the private sector.
In closing, the specialists converged on the view that Artificial Intelligence should be treated as a support tool, not a substitute for human capacity. 'We should not ban AI. We should teach people how to use it,' Botão reiterated, while the other participants stressed the need to combine technological proficiency, critical thinking, responsibility, ethics, and decision-making ability.
Source: Diário Económico
Original article: https://www.diarioeconomico.co.mz/2026/08/18/tech-2/especialistas-defendem-uso-responsavel-da-ia-no-ensino-e-alertam-para-risco-de-perda-do-pensamento-critico/
