|| Lion Md. Gani Miah Babul: The world is changing rapidly. Artificial intelligence (AI), information technology, and digital innovation are transforming the traditional structures of work, learning, communication, and economic activity. Tasks that once required considerable time can now be completed much more efficiently with the help of technology. In this changing reality, the purpose of education must also be reconsidered. Simply studying textbooks, achieving good examination results, or earning academic certificates is no longer sufficient. Students need the ability to understand technology, think critically, demonstrate creativity, solve problems, and adapt to new circumstances. The key questions are: How prepared is Bangladesh’s education system for this technology-driven world? Are students acquiring the skills required for the future workplace? Are teachers receiving adequate training to integrate modern technology effectively into their teaching? Finding answers to these questions and initiating practical reforms in the education system are now urgent priorities.Access to education has expanded in Bangladesh, and the use of technology has also increased. Students can now gather information online, explore different subjects through digital platforms, and use artificial intelligence to understand complex topics more easily. However, the presence of technology does not automatically guarantee quality technology-based education. Installing computers, projectors, or internet connections in classrooms is not enough to bring about meaningful improvements in educational quality. A clear strategy is needed to determine how technology can improve learning outcomes, how students can verify information, how teachers can make lessons more effective, and how acquired knowledge can be applied to solve real-world problems. The success of technology in education ultimately depends on students’ learning capabilities, teachers’ competence, and educational institutions’ preparedness.Digital inequality must receive particular attention when assessing the state of digital education in Bangladesh. According to data from the 2025 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS), published by UNICEF Bangladesh, 72.1 percent of households in the country have internet access at home. This means that approximately 27.9 percent of households lack a home internet connection. The figures indicate that access to digital learning opportunities is not equal for everyone. Moreover, having an internet connection at home does not necessarily mean that students can use it consistently for educational purposes. The availability of suitable devices, the number of household members sharing those devices, connection speed, affordability, and parents’ technological knowledge are also important considerations.Students in urban areas may have access to computers, high-speed internet, and a wide range of digital learning materials. In contrast, many students in remote areas may fall behind because they lack appropriate devices or reliable internet connections. If students do not have equal learning opportunities within the same education system, technology may widen existing inequalities rather than reduce them. Students from financially disadvantaged families face a particularly high risk. Therefore, policies for expanding digital education must focus not merely on supplying technology but also on ensuring affordable and effective access for everyone. School-based digital laboratories, reliable internet connections, access to devices according to students’ needs, and the provision of offline learning materials alongside online resources can all play an effective role in addressing this challenge.Another essential condition for technology-driven education is teacher preparedness. Teachers play a central role in developing students’ knowledge, critical thinking, and values. However, as technology continues to evolve rapidly, it is necessary to assess whether all teachers are receiving adequate training and support to keep pace with these changes. Teaching someone how to operate a computer or conduct online classes is not enough to develop the competencies required of a technology-enabled educator. Teachers need practical training on selecting appropriate digital resources for different lessons, assessing students’ learning progress, verifying the accuracy of online information, and using technology to encourage greater student participation.A study titled Artificial Intelligence for Education in Bangladesh, published by the Asian Development Bank in December 2024, discusses the potential need for artificial intelligence in education and the experiences of primary school teachers in relation to AI use and training. The study highlights the potential for AI to contribute to Bangladesh’s education sector while emphasizing the importance of considering teachers’ needs, preparedness, and training requirements. In other words, before introducing technology into the classroom, policymakers must understand teachers’ practical needs and provide them with appropriate support.The government must establish a continuous professional development system to improve teachers’ technological skills. Organizing a one-time workshop should not be considered sufficient. After training, the authorities should regularly assess whether teachers can use technology effectively in classrooms, whether students’ learning outcomes are improving, and what obstacles teachers encounter. Support teams comprising experienced teachers and technology specialists could be established where necessary. At the same time, unnecessary administrative workloads should be reduced so that teachers have sufficient time for classroom instruction, lesson planning, and professional development.Artificial intelligence has created new opportunities as well as new challenges for Bangladesh’s education system. Students can use AI to obtain explanations of different subjects, practise languages, test their understanding, and gather preliminary information for research. Teachers can also use it to prepare lesson plans, develop exercises, and create learning materials tailored to students with different educational needs. Technology can further support the development of suitable educational materials for students with special needs and help overcome language barriers. However, AI must not be treated as an infallible source of knowledge. Artificial intelligence can generate incorrect information, produce biased responses, or omit important contextual details. Students must therefore be encouraged to verify information, analyse arguments critically, and confirm facts using reliable sources rather than simply memorizing the answers generated by AI.In 2024, UNESCO published an AI Competency Framework for Teachers. The framework emphasizes a human-centred approach, ethical AI use, foundational technological knowledge, the application of AI in teaching, and professional development. UNESCO has also introduced a competency framework for students that emphasizes understanding AI, using it responsibly, recognizing ethical considerations, and critically evaluating its outputs. These international guidelines can provide a relevant foundation for modernizing Bangladesh’s curriculum and teacher training programmes. However, they must be adapted to the country’s linguistic, socioeconomic, and infrastructural realities, as well as the age and abilities of its students.One fundamental principle must be kept in mind: AI should strengthen students’ ability to think, not replace it. If a student submits an entire assignment generated by AI without conducting any independent analysis, the opportunity for genuine learning is diminished. Conversely, a complete prohibition on AI could prevent students from learning how to use this technology responsibly. What is needed is a clear set of guidelines. Educational institutions must specify the circumstances in which AI may be used, the tasks that require students’ independent work, how AI-assisted information and sources should be acknowledged, and how original thinking and creativity will be assessed. At the same time, students’ personal information, photographs, identities, and other sensitive data must be protected.The curriculum must also evolve to keep pace with the technology-driven world. Excessive dependence on memorization and examination-oriented learning makes it difficult to assess students’ actual abilities. Education should encourage students to ask questions, make evidence-based decisions, work collaboratively, and find solutions to real-world problems. Alongside science, mathematics, languages, information technology, and digital literacy, greater emphasis must be placed on communication, creativity, ethics, and civic responsibility. Teaching students how to use technology is not enough. They must also understand how technology works, what its limitations are, and how it affects individuals, communities, and society as a whole.The relationship between education and the future job market also requires renewed attention. Technology is changing the nature of work across many professions, creating new occupations while reducing demand for certain traditional skills. To prepare Bangladeshi students for these changes, the education system must become more skills-oriented and employment-focused. Opportunities should be expanded in technical and vocational education, software development and digital services, data analysis, cybersecurity, modern agriculture, health technology, and other technology-related industrial fields. Stronger collaboration between educational institutions, industries, and employers would help align academic curricula with the practical requirements of the workplace. Internships, apprenticeships, and project-based learning could also better prepare students for entering professional life.The government has a particularly important responsibility in this regard. Effective coordination is required among the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education, the relevant education directorates, teacher training institutions, and the technology sector. The first step should be to assess the technological capacity of individual educational institutions. Reliable data must be collected to identify schools without internet access, institutions facing shortages of devices, areas where teachers need additional training, and regions where students are particularly disadvantaged. Based on these findings, the government should establish priorities and gradually improve infrastructure, training, and educational resources. Public expenditure must be transparent and accountable. Budgets should cover not only the purchase of technology but also its maintenance, security, teacher support, and effective use.Participation by private institutions and the technology sector is also important in expanding digital education. However, education must not be treated merely as a commercial product. Partnerships should be developed to provide students with reliable, affordable, and high-quality digital learning resources. There is a need to expand quality educational materials in Bangla, science-based digital content, resources suitable for students with disabilities, and learning materials that can be accessed offline. The mass media also has an important role to play. Regular public awareness campaigns on the benefits of technology, safe digital practices, the identification of misinformation, and the realities of digital inequality can help students, teachers, and parents prepare for the changing educational landscape.Alongside technological competence, the development of human values and ethical awareness must remain an essential objective of education. Technology can make work easier, but honesty, responsibility, empathy, and the ability to distinguish right from wrong must also be cultivated through human guidance and education. The integration of technology and human values is indispensable to the future of education. The goal must be to develop students who are not only competent technology users but also responsible citizens, creative thinkers, and capable problem-solvers.The technology-driven world presents Bangladesh with significant opportunities as well as challenges. If these opportunities are properly harnessed, the country's young population can make substantial contributions to the economy through knowledge, innovation, and increased productivity. However, unless the country ensures the necessary skills, equal access, and quality education, the benefits of technological progress will not reach everyone. Digital inequality, skills shortages, and employment uncertainty could then become even more serious challenges.The time has therefore come to move beyond discussions about the importance of technology-driven education and take practical action. Planned reforms, adequate investment, trained teachers, an updated curriculum, and regular accountability mechanisms are essential. The preparedness of Bangladesh’s education system cannot be measured merely by policy announcements or the installation of technological equipment. It must be assessed through tangible outcomes: what students are learning, how effectively teachers are developing their skills, and how successfully the education system is preparing qualified human resources for the future. To avoid falling behind in a rapidly changing world, Bangladesh must undertake coordinated and effective education reforms now.About the Author: Lion Md. Gani Miah BabulTeacher, poet, columnist, social worker, and organizer.Founding President, Central Committee, Bangladesh Government Secondary Teachers Association (Agriculture).Joint Secretary-General, Central Committee, Nirapad Sarak Chai (NISCHA).Phone: 01552631118, 01842631118Email: lionganibabul@gmail.com