The rapid adoption of artificial intelligence
(AI) in education could leave a generation increasingly capable of producing answers but less capable of thinking critically, Dr. Rakesh Wahi, co-founder of Transnational Academic Group (TAG), has warned. E Learn Al Tools
Dr. Wahi, whose group operates Lancaster University Ghana, said the education sector must confront an emerging tension in which Al is making information and answers available almost instantly while potentially weakening students' willingness and ability to read, research and reason independently.
"There is a cognitive decline in the learning," he told the B&FT in an exclusive interaction,
pointing to what he described as a growing tendency among students to ask AI systems answers rather than engage deeply with learning materials.
"It is not just plagiarism. It is about this decline in our ability to think,' he added.
His concerns come as employers globally place increasing value on analytical and cognitive capabilities even as AI and automation rapidly change the skills demanded in the workplace.
The World Economic Forum's Future of Jobs Report 2025, based on responses from more than 1,000 employers representing over 14 million workers across 55 economies, identifies analytical thinking as the most sought-after core skill, with seven in 10 employers considering it essential. E Get Life Coaching
At the same time, the report projects that AI and big data will be the fastest-growing skills through 2030, alongside networks and cybersecurity, and technological literacy. It estimates that 39 percent of workers' existi skill sets will be transformed or become
outdated between 2025 and 2030, while 59 out of every 100 workers will require training by 2030.
For Dr. Wahi, the implication for universities is that simply teaching students how to use new technologies will not be enough.
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Institutions must also ensure that students understand the material they submit, he said, suggesting that universities may need to place greater emphasis on methods such as oral examinations to establish whether students
have actually understood Al-assisted work.
"If somebody is writing a paper in a thesis, spend a little more time testing them orally to see whether they have understood what they have presented," he said.
His argument mirrors a growing international debate over how AI should be incorporated into education without allowing technology to replace the learning process itself.
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has stressed that education remains important for developing critical thinking and human agency in the Al era, arguing that students need to learn how to critically interrogate Al-generated outputs rather than simply accept them.
The organisation has also highlighted the risks created by unequal access to digital infrastructure. Only about 40 percent of schools in Africa have Internet access, compared with substantially higher levels in several other regions; meaning the benefits and risks of Al are unlikely to be distributed evenly across the continent. El Get Risk Software
The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) has similarly identified critical thinking and information literacy, including the ability to evaluate and verify information, as import: skills for children growing up with AI. Its recent consultations with children in five African countries also found support for moderation in Al use and for preserving human autonomy and relationships.
The issue is particularly significant for Africa, whose rapidly expanding youth population is placing growing pressure on education systems to produce graduates with skills relevant to changing labour markets. E Enroll in Classes
UNESCO estimates that more than 400 million Africans are aged between 15 and 35, while the number of Africans completing secondary or tertiary education is expected to more than double between 2020 and 2040, from 103 million to 240 million.
Yet higher education enrolment remains comparatively low. UNESCO puts tertiary enrolment in Africa at about 9 percent, against a global average of 38 percent, while more than 40 percent of young Africans entering the labo market each year are estimated to lack the s. required for employment. E Enroll in Classes
Dr. Wahi said this made the challenge facing African universities twofold, as they must expand access while simultaneously redesigning what and how they teach.
At Lancaster University Ghana, that approach is increasingly centred on AI, robotics, computer science and other emerging technologies. The institution has established an AI and robotics
laboratory and is seeking to integrate technology skills across its programmes.
But Dr. Wahi said technology must complement rather than replace foundational learning.
The challenge, he said, was to produce graduates who can use Al while retaining the ability to question its answers, apply knowledge and solve problems independently.
That philosophy is also shaping his assessn of what constitutes a successful university.
At Lancaster University Ghana, he said, graduate employability is his primary measure of success, with the institution aiming for every student who enrols to secure employment.
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The university currently puts its graduate employment rate at about 97 percent within a year of completing National Service, according to Dr. Wahi.
Beyond employment, however, he said he wants Lancaster University Ghana graduates to become employers themselves, with the university developing business-plan challenges and entrepreneurship initiatives aimed at turning student ideas into viable enterprises.