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EU and OECD launch AI literacy framework for schools

The European Commission and the OECD have presented a new AI literacy framework for primary and secondary education, aimed at helping schools prepare learners for a world increasingly shaped by AI technologies.

The AI Literacy Framework was unveiled on 18 June during the European Digital Education Hub flagship event in Brussels. The event, titled ‘Collaborate for Impact: Advancing European Digital Education and Skills’, brought together policymakers, educators, experts, and stakeholders from across Europe.

Developed with support from international experts, including CodeAI, the framework provides a common reference point for integrating AI literacy across education systems. It is accompanied by practical classroom examples for primary and secondary levels to help educators translate AI literacy into learning experiences.

The framework defines AI literacy as the combination of technical knowledge, durable skills and future-ready attitudes needed to participate effectively in a world influenced by AI. It aims to help learners engage with, create with, manage, and shape AI while critically evaluating its benefits, risks, and ethical implications.

The European Commission said AI is reshaping how people learn, work, communicate, and make decisions. It said education systems need to prepare young people to navigate AI in daily life and use it responsibly.

The framework defines AI literacy as the combination of technical knowledge, durable skills and future-ready attitudes needed to participate effectively in a world influenced by AI.

According to the Commission, 68% of teenagers already use AI tools, yet many education systems still lack structured approaches for integrating AI into teaching and learning. Addressing these barriers could help learners use AI more creatively, ethically, and effectively.

The framework is intended for teachers, education leaders, policymakers, and learning designers. It offers guidance on curriculum integration, school-level AI literacy initiatives, policy development, and the design of educational content and teacher training materials.

The framework is structured around four dimensions that describe how learners engage with, create with, manage, and shape AI. It also includes 19 competences organised around knowledge, skills, and attitudes, along with learner expectations, learning scenarios, and classroom examples.

The Commission said the framework supports the EU’s ambition to deliver high-quality, inclusive, and future-oriented digital education. It also contributes to the Digital Education Action Plan and the Union of Skills by helping learners develop competences for a digital and AI-driven society.

The framework complements several European initiatives and policy priorities, including the PISA 2029 Media and AI Literacy assessment, the Digital Education Action Plan 2021-2027, updated ethical guidelines for educators on AI use, the AI Act, and the European Digital Competence Framework.

Why does it matter?

AI is rapidly becoming a foundational digital skill, comparable to information literacy or internet literacy. As AI tools become increasingly integrated into education, work and everyday life, schools face growing pressure to help students understand not only how to use these technologies, but also how to evaluate their outputs, recognise their limitations and engage with them responsibly.

The framework also represents an important step towards harmonising AI education across Europe. By providing common competences, classroom examples and guidance for educators, it creates a bridge between AI policy objectives and practical teaching. This could help ensure that future generations develop the skills needed to participate in an AI-driven society while supporting broader European goals related to digital skills, innovation and trustworthy AI.

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UNESCO assessment supports ethical AI roadmap in El Salvador

El Salvador has advanced its national AI agenda following the presentation of a Readiness Assessment Methodology (RAM) report developed by UNESCO in cooperation with the National Artificial Intelligence Agency (ANIA). The initiative brings together government institutions, international organisations, academia and the private sector to assess the country’s preparedness for ethical, inclusive and sustainable AI development.

The assessment is grounded in the UNESCO Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence, which establishes principles for safe and responsible AI deployment. According to the assessment, El Salvador’s legal and institutional framework, including measures related to data protection, cybersecurity and AI governance, has strengthened its position in regional AI readiness indicators.

The report highlights AI deployments already being used in public services, including digital health diagnostics, automated legal processes and large-scale digitisation of government records. Education systems are also integrating AI tools to expand access to learning, while projected economic gains suggest significant growth potential if ethical adoption continues to scale.

Alongside the findings, authorities outlined priorities aimed at reducing inequalities in access to technology, expanding participation in STEM education and ensuring that AI-related benefits reach both urban and rural communities.

The new National Artificial Intelligence Strategy 2026 sets out these priorities as part of a broader human-centred development model.

Why does it matter?

The initiative positions El Salvador as a test case for how emerging economies can align rapid AI adoption with structured governance and ethical safeguards. By embedding human-centred principles into national strategy and law, the country aims to prevent AI-driven gains from widening social or geographic inequalities while strengthening long-term digital readiness.

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OECD publishes AI literacy framework for schools

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has published a new report, ‘Empowering Learners for the Age of AI‘, outlining an AI literacy framework for primary and secondary education.

According to the OECD, AI is becoming increasingly embedded in everyday digital life and is influencing civic, professional and social outcomes. The organisation argues that education systems must equip young people with the knowledge and skills needed to understand, evaluate and use AI responsibly.

The report defines AI literacy as a combination of knowledge, skills and attitudes that enable learners to understand how AI systems function, critically evaluate their outputs and use them ethically, responsibly and creatively.

The OECD said the framework outlines learning outcomes for primary and secondary students and is intended to support policymakers, educators, schools and families in fostering AI literacy both inside and outside the classroom. The report was published on 18 June 2026.

Why does it matter?

As AI becomes increasingly integrated into education, work, public services and everyday life, AI literacy is emerging as a foundational skill alongside traditional digital literacy. Understanding how AI systems operate, where their limitations lie and how their outputs should be evaluated will be important for informed participation in society and the economy.

The OECD framework also reflects a broader policy shift from focusing solely on access to technology toward developing the skills needed to use AI responsibly and critically. By providing a common reference point for educators and policymakers, the framework could help shape future curricula, teacher training programmes and national education strategies aimed at preparing students for an AI-enabled world.

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UNESCO backs new initiative against online hate speech

Organisations and experts in Kyrgyzstan have launched the country’s first multistakeholder coalition focused on online harmful content and content moderation, with support from UNESCO and the European Union.

The Aikyn Sanarip coalition was launched in Bishkek on 17 June, ahead of the UN International Day for Countering Hate Speech. It brings together civil society, media representatives, government bodies, academics, international organisations and bloggers.

UNESCO said the coalition will provide a platform for dialogue on freedom of expression, digital rights, online safety and greater accountability from digital platforms.

The launch also featured the first national study on freedom of expression and content moderation in Kyrgyzstan. The research examines how hate speech spreads across digital platforms, how content is moderated in Kyrgyz-language digital spaces, and where legal and institutional gaps remain.

UNESCO said users in Kyrgyzstan increasingly encounter hate speech, disinformation and online harassment. At the same time, the country lacks a clear legal definition of hate speech, and mechanisms for addressing harmful content remain fragmented.

The European Union supported the forum under UNESCO’s Social Media 4 Peace project, which promotes multistakeholder responses to harmful online content while protecting freedom of expression.

Why does it matter?

The launch shows how online hate speech and harmful content are becoming governance issues beyond major platform markets. Kyrgyzstan’s new coalition links digital rights, online safety and platform accountability, while also highlighting a difficult balance: tackling hate speech and disinformation without undermining freedom of expression. The initiative may offer a model for multistakeholder responses in countries where legal frameworks and platform moderation practices remain underdeveloped.

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UNESCO-backed initiative promotes AI skills and workforce innovation in East Africa

Nearly 1,000 students from across East Africa participated in the AI4EAC Innovation Challenge, a regional initiative designed to strengthen AI skills while encouraging practical solutions to local challenges.

Supported by UNESCO Campus Africa and several regional and international partners, the programme brought together students from 57 universities across East Africa.

One of the programme’s central themes was employment and workforce development through the Skills2Job Challenge. Participants were tasked with developing AI systems capable of identifying suitable occupations based on an individual’s skills profile.

Using data from UNESCO’s Global Skills Tracker, students developed machine-learning models aimed at improving career guidance, workforce mobility and skills-based hiring.

The winning projects explored different approaches to matching skills with labour market opportunities. Several participants argued that labour markets across Africa continue to place significant emphasis on formal qualifications, often overlooking transferable skills that could support employment across multiple sectors and industries.

UNESCO said the initiative demonstrates growing demand for AI skills across the region while highlighting the ability of young innovators to develop solutions tailored to local economic and social challenges.

The programme forms part of wider efforts to strengthen links between higher education, innovation ecosystems and employment opportunities throughout Africa.

Why does it matter?

The initiative highlights how AI can be applied to address practical development challenges, including the gap between education outcomes and labour market needs. By focusing on skills-based matching rather than formal qualifications alone, AI tools could help improve workforce mobility, career guidance and access to employment opportunities.

The programme also reflects the growing importance of AI capacity development across Africa. As governments, universities and businesses invest in digital transformation, building local AI talent and innovation ecosystems will be essential for ensuring that AI solutions are developed in ways that reflect regional priorities, economic realities and social needs.

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Western Balkans schools explore AI in education with UNESCO and UNICEF support

Educators from across the Western Balkans gathered in Sarajevo to discuss the rapid rise of AI in education and its implications for teaching and learning. The regional conference brought together more than 80 teachers and practitioners from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Serbia and Slovenia.

Supported by UNESCO, UNICEF, the French Institute and the Croatian Cultural Society ‘Napredak’, the event focused on both the opportunities and risks associated with AI adoption in education. Discussions covered ethical use of AI, data protection, safeguarding learner well-being and maintaining educational integrity in digital environments.

Workshops provided hands-on training in AI tools, allowing participants to explore how the technology can be used responsibly and effectively in classroom settings. UNESCO also introduced multilingual resources on AI in education, aimed at improving access to practical guidance and best practices across the region.

The initiative highlighted a shared priority among educators: ensuring that AI supports human-centred learning while teachers remain central to delivering effective, inclusive and equitable education.

Why does it matter?

The integration of AI into education systems marks a structural shift in how learning is designed, delivered and evaluated, with implications that extend beyond classrooms into labour markets and civic participation. As governments and institutions experiment with AI tools, the key challenge is ensuring that efficiency gains do not come at the expense of equity, privacy and critical thinking.

Regional cooperation and shared ethical frameworks, such as those promoted by UNESCO, are therefore essential for preventing fragmented adoption and widening digital divides, while helping education systems remain adaptable, inclusive and centred on human development in an increasingly automated environment.

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Children’s online safety and screen time under growing UK scrutiny

The UK Government Office for Science has highlighted the need for evidence-led policy on children’s online lives, warning that digital technologies bring both benefits and risks while long-term evidence remains limited.

In an article published on the GOV.UK, the Government Chief Scientific Adviser noted that 97% of UK teenagers aged 13 to 15 now own a mobile phone, while almost one-fifth of children aged three to five also own one. Children aged eight to nine spend an average of two hours per day online, rising to four hours for those aged 13 to 14, excluding gaming time.

The article said children use digital platforms to maintain friendships, access communities, and find support, and that some are also using AI companions for well-being and emotional regulation. AI tools are increasingly being used for learning and schoolwork, with around half of children reporting AI use.

However, the government adviser warned that children face risks including harmful content, cyberbullying, privacy breaches, false or misleading information, unlimited scrolling, personalised algorithms and other features designed to maximise engagement.

The article said there is not enough robust long-term data to determine with confidence how digital technologies are affecting children. It also warned that the use of AI should not prevent children from developing skills such as written expression and critical thinking.

The Government Office for Science said stronger evidence and continued evaluation are needed to inform policy, including the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology’s consultation on the impacts of growing up online, which covers social media, AI chatbots, gaming sites and other online services.

Why does it matter?

The article is relevant because it frames children’s online safety as an evidence and governance challenge, not only a moral panic over screen time. UK policymakers are weighing restrictions on social media, gaming platforms, AI chatbots and other online services, but the Government Office for Science stresses that long-term evidence remains incomplete. That makes transparency, evaluation and proportional safeguards central to future online safety policy.

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UNESCO, TESDA and HP Foundation expand digital and AI skills training in the Philippines

UNESCO, the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), and the HP Foundation are expanding access to free digital skills and AI courses in the Philippines through the UNESCO Global Skills Academy. The initiative will make HP LIFE courses available through the TESDA Online Program, the country’s national eLearning platform.

TESDA said the collaboration will provide learners with access to free digital and entrepreneurship training aligned with evolving industry needs. The courses are intended to help learners develop practical digital skills and competencies that are increasingly in demand across the digital economy.

HP LIFE is a free business and digital skills training programme run by the HP Foundation. Its courses introduce learners to key AI concepts, responsible AI use, and practical applications of AI in business and everyday work, alongside topics such as entrepreneurship, marketing and finance.

The collaboration is facilitated via the UNESCO Global Skills Academy, which works with international organisations, governments, and industry partners to expand access to quality skills development opportunities. The academy aims to help 10 million young people and adults worldwide develop skills that improve employability by 2029.

TESDA said the partnership will help expand access to high-quality and industry-relevant training for learners across the Philippines. The initiative is expected to strengthen digital, entrepreneurial and AI-related skills that can enhance employment opportunities and livelihoods.

Why does it matter?

Digital skills and AI literacy are increasingly important for participation in modern economies, yet access to high-quality training remains uneven in many parts of the world. Expanding access to free online learning opportunities can help individuals develop skills that improve employability, entrepreneurship and participation in the digital economy.

The initiative also reflects a broader trend of collaboration between international organisations, governments and the private sector to address digital skills gaps. As AI becomes more widely used across industries, programmes that combine digital literacy, AI awareness and practical workforce skills are becoming an increasingly important component of national development and workforce strategies.

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European Commission study simplifies SELFIE tool for school digital capacity monitoring

The Joint Research Centre (JRC) of the European Commission has published a study proposing shorter versions of the Self-reflection on Effective Learning by Fostering the Use of Innovative Educational Technologies (SELFIE) tool to support the monitoring of schools’ digital capacity.

The study suggests that shorter instruments could help schools and policymakers use data for digital education planning when time and organisational constraints make the full SELFIE tool more difficult to implement. SELFIE is a scientifically validated tool for measuring schools’ digital capacity. According to the study, the tool had been used by more than 5.5 million users across 80 countries by September 2023.

Researchers developed two shortened versions of the SELFIE tool: a midi-SELFIE with 16 items and a mini-SELFIE with 8 items. The shorter instruments were developed using existing datasets and psychometric analyses based on Item Response Theory models.

The researchers evaluated the shortened tools across three use cases. The first examined changes in digital capacity over time in selected schools; the second examined regional differences in Port u gal; and the third used a representative sample from Spain to explore links between digital capacity and teachers’ use of digital technology during lessons.

The full SELFIE tool and the two shortened versions produced broadly comparable results across the cases examined. The researchers said the midi and mini versions could therefore serve as reliable alternatives for specific uses where the full instrument is too long.

The study suggests that shorter SELFIE tools could support school-level monitoring, digital education planning, and policy monitoring. The findings may be useful for education systems seeking evidence-based approaches to improving teaching and learning while reducing the administrative burden on schools.

Why does it matter?

As governments invest in digital education, there is a growing demand for reliable tools that can measure schools’ digital readiness and inform policy decisions. However, lengthy assessment processes can create practical challenges for schools and education authorities, limiting participation and data collection.

The study suggests that shorter versions of the SELFIE tool can provide comparable insights while reducing the time required for implementation. If adopted more widely, these streamlined assessments could support evidence-based digital education policies, help monitor progress in digital transformation, and make data collection more accessible for schools.

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UNESCO expands gender-responsive digital education training in Tanzania

UNESCO has completed the second cohort of its Teacher Educator Training on Gender-Responsive Pedagogy for Inclusive Digital Education in Tanzania.

The initiative, delivered in partnership with Beijing Normal University (BNU) and Tanzania’s Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, trained 30 teacher educators from the University of Dodoma (UDOM) and Mkwawa University College of Education (MUCE).

The programme forms part of the UNESCO–BNU project ‘Closing the Digital Divide: Ensuring Gender-Transformative Digital Skills Education for Women and Girls‘. Participants received practical training in gender-responsive pedagogy, inclusive digital learning and strategies to encourage greater participation by girls in ICT and STEM fields.

According to UNESCO, the training focused on helping educators identify and address barriers that may discourage girls from pursuing digital skills development and careers in technology. Through workshops, peer learning, case studies, and practical exercises, participants explored approaches to creating more inclusive and equitable learning environments.

With the completion of the second cohort, the initiative has now trained 60 teacher educators from four Tanzanian higher education institutions: UDOM, MUCE, the Dar es Salaam University College of Education (DUCE), and the Open University of Tanzania (OUT).

UNESCO expects the trained educators to pass on the knowledge and skills acquired through the programme to future teachers, creating a multiplier effect across Tanzania’s education system.

The project is now entering a new phase focused on strengthening Girls in ICT Clubs in 20 secondary schools across Tanzania. Planned activities include mentorship programmes, innovation bootcamps, ICT training and engagement with female role models aimed at encouraging girls’ participation in technology and STEM disciplines.

Why does it matter?

Digital skills are increasingly essential for participation in education, employment, and the wider economy. However, gender gaps in access to technology and STEM opportunities continue to limit the participation of women and girls in many parts of the world.

By equipping teacher educators with gender-responsive teaching approaches and supporting girls’ engagement with ICT and STEM, the UNESCO–BNU initiative seeks to address barriers at multiple levels of the education system. The programme also highlights the role of education and capacity development in promoting digital inclusion and expanding opportunities for future generations.

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