Kathmandu, Oct. 3
Integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI) into the education
system of Nepal is not just an opportunity but a necessity as the country
strives for quality education for all, stakeholders said at an interaction
organised by the Federation of Computer Association of Nepal (FCAN Federation)
in the Capital on Wednesday.
By embracing AI, we can empower our students to thrive in a
future where technology and education are deeply intertwined, ensuring that no
one is left behind in the pursuit of lifelong learning, said Prof. Dr. Subarna
Shakya, President of the Centre for Cyber Security Research and Innovation.
"AI is a transformative force in education, capable of
revolutionising how we teach and learn by personalizing experiences and
bridging gaps in access," he said.
The interaction was focused on the 'Artificial Intelligence
(AI) Concept Paper' recently released by the government, and was attended by academics,
IT professionals, lawyers, service providers, and digital rights activists. According
to the CAN Federation, the event was organised to gather feedback and
suggestions from the participants, which will later be compiled into a report
and submitted to the government.
Speakers said that AI regulation is crucial but emphasised
that it should not be stifled by over-regulation.
Dr. Bhojraj Ghimire from Nepal Open University, acknowledged
the concept paper as a welcome initiative but noted that it is too theoretical
and lacked practical details. He pointed out that despite AI being data-driven,
the paper does not address critical aspects such as data standardization, sharing,
cleansing, and privacy which are essential for the development and deployment
of AI technologies in Nepal.
Similarly, Sanjina Chhetri from Digital Rights Nepal raised
concerns about the lack of attention to data protection in the concept paper.
She also highlighted that the paper does not clearly define the roles of the
federal, provincial, and local governments in AI governance.
Former DIG of Nepal Police and Advisor of Information
Security Response Team Nepal (npCert), Rajib Subba, reflected on the past,
recalling that the Electronics Transactions Act, originally intended to promote
e-commerce, was later repurposed to regulate cybercrime. He warned that if the
current discourse on AI is not guided in the right direction, it could lead to
similar confusion in the future.
The report including the feedback will be submitted to the
Ministry of Communication and Information Technology, according to CAN General
Secretary Chiranjibi Adhikari, who is also the coordinator of the AI concept
paper.
Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 4 October 2024.
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