Teaching Unions and Number 10 Clash Over AI’s Impact on Education
The National Education Union (NEU) is preparing for a potential conflict with the government over the anticipated effects of artificial intelligence on jobs within the education sector. Sky News has learned that the union, the UK’s largest, is worried that AI tools could lead to job losses, particularly for lower-paid teaching assistants whose roles might become automated.
Daniel Kebede, General Secretary of the National Education Union
Alarm bells were raised in January when the government allocated £1 million to 16 technology companies to develop AI tools for teachers. These tools are intended to provide feedback, automate marking, and theoretically boost educational standards. While acknowledging AI’s advantages, Kebede expressed to Sky News that there has been a lack of meaningful conversation with the sector and that the Department for Education (DfE) is acting too hastily.
“AI can reduce workload, slash bureaucracy and there is a role to reduce admin and workload for teachers – but education and learning is ultimately a relational and social experience,” Kebede stated. He added that, depending on its implementation, AI could be either beneficial or detrimental, citing Elon Musk’s vision for education, which he interpreted as a move towards a system with fewer teachers and teaching assistants.
This situation could present a dilemma for Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson, who must balance the unions’ worries with the government’s objective of utilizing AI to boost efficiency and achieve cost savings in a bid to stimulate the economy.
A DfE spokesperson countered the NEU’s assertions, asserting that the department has engaged with the sector on AI use. The spokesperson highlighted communications and collaboration with the sector, beginning from the initial call for evidence and progressing to published AI policy, and expressed a commitment to ongoing engagement to modernize the education system.
Rob Poole, a teacher and NEU member, noted that tools like Chat GPT and Gemini are already used in classrooms to help plan lessons. Nevertheless, he emphasized that AI cannot replace the personal relationships that pupils, especially those with special needs, have with teaching assistants.
“AI doesn’t know that pupil or their needs,” Poole stated, underscoring the irreplaceable role of human interaction in education.
“The rollout of AI needs to be done in consultation with the unions, which is not happening at the moment,” Poole added. Concerns were also raised about the potential for de-skilling teachers and reducing their professional autonomy.
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson
Further complicating matters for Phillipson are reports of internal briefings hinting that her policy agenda may be influenced by a desire to maintain a good relationship with the unions. The NEU has previously threatened to strike over the government’s pay offer and criticized Phillipson’s decision to change the Ofsted grading system. An associate described these briefings as ‘baseless and misogynistic,’ suggesting that they are launched by individuals seeking to undermine the Prime Minister.
