Outstanding payments to teachers, educators spending their own money on classroom materials and the increasing use of artificial intelligence by students emerged as key education concerns during a recent Youth Parliament sitting.

Youth Parliamentarians Skielar Cornelius and Daniel Taylor used their contributions to highlight areas where they believe Antigua and Barbuda’s education system requires further attention, while also crediting the government for providing opportunities for young people to participate in national discussions.

For Cornelius, one of the most pressing issues is money still owed to teachers.

The St. John’s City East Youth Parliamentarian acknowledged measures taken to support educators but said resolving outstanding retroactive payments should remain a priority.

Her argument was that teachers cannot meet their everyday financial responsibilities with praise alone and should receive the compensation due to them.

Taylor approached the education debate from his experience as an educator, highlighting the financial burden some teachers assume simply to ensure their classrooms have adequate supplies.

He questioned the expectation that educators should routinely spend their own salaries purchasing materials required to teach their students.

Taylor also addressed the growing presence of artificial intelligence in education.

While recognizing that AI can help students access and understand information, he warned against allowing the technology to become a substitute for learning.

His concern centred on students becoming overly reliant on AI-generated answers without first developing a proper understanding of the subjects they are studying.

The two Youth Parliamentarians did not limit their presentations to criticism.

They also pointed to what they considered progress in the government’s engagement with young people and said the Gaston Browne administration has created avenues for youth voices to be included in national affairs.

Their presentations ultimately combined praise with calls for action, using the Youth Parliament platform to draw attention to unresolved concerns facing teachers and students while recognizing initiatives they believe have expanded youth participation in Antigua and Barbuda.

This article was originally published by Antigua News Room. Read the original article here: Youth Parliamentarians Press for Teacher Payments and Caution Against AI Dependence.