At least seven in 10 Kenyans believe Artificial Intelligence (AI) is the biggest challenge the education sector must prepare the next generation for, a new Cambridge University and YouGov survey shows.
The survey, which sampled more than 1,000 adults across Kenya, found that emerging technologies, including AI and automation, were ranked among the top three issues the education system must urgently address.
Cambridge's Director of Partnerships for Education, Kagendo Salisbury, said the promise of future-ready learning lies not in technology alone but in what “humans and technology can achieve together.”
The study, titled Humans at the Heart of Education, also highlighted other concerns Kenyans believe schools should prepare learners for, including mental health and pandemics (49 per cent), cyber security threats (38 per cent), and climate change (32 per cent).
Conducted by Cambridge University Press and Assessment’s Partnership for Education, the survey provides a snapshot of what Kenyans expect from education systems at a time when technology is reshaping economies and societies.
The Partnership for Education works globally to support the development of national education systems.
Kagendo noted that while Kenyans want young people to be equipped for a tech-driven future, preparation goes far beyond teaching digital skills, which can quickly become outdated as technology evolves.
“Kenya is leading the way in integrating technology into everyday life, from business and banking to helping communities connect and thrive,” he said.
“This progress builds on our human strengths of creativity, collaboration and problem-solving, which are central to Kenyan life.”
He added that Competency-Based Education (CBE) is already laying the groundwork by deepening these human capabilities alongside digital skills and critical thinking, positioning young people to innovate and adapt in a rapidly changing world.
Giving equal priority to these skills, he said, is just as important as investing in devices and infrastructure.
The report urges Kenya and other countries to adopt approaches that build the “whole learner,” empower teachers as agents of change, and create system-wide collaboration.
The survey polled 1,084 adults aged 18 and above between August 26 and September 2, 2025.
Findings show a strong consensus on the importance of digital preparedness: 58 per cent of respondents ranked digital competencies, including AI and data literacy, among the top skills the next generation must acquire.
However, respondents also underscored the enduring value of human skills.
Creativity and innovation were identified by 51 per cent as among the most crucial attributes young people will need.
The report cautions teachers against hesitating to embrace new technologies, warning that failure to adapt could widen the risk of being outpaced, or even replaced, by the very tools meant to support them.
More than nine in 10 Kenyans believe teachers should have a significant voice in shaping education policy.
An equally high number said parents and guardians should also influence policy direction, while 82 per cent felt students should be involved, 81 per cent pointed to the community, and 75 per cent emphasised the role of employers.
