Online Reporter
Tarisai Gwatiringa in JINHUA, Zhejiang Province, China
THE Third China-Africa Dialogue on Science Education, which was being held here from November 9 to today, has emerged as a pivotal forum for shaping the future of STEM education.
Sponsored by the Ministry of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China and hosted by Zhejiang Normal University, the conference spotlighted the transformative potential of artificial intelligence (AI) in science learning and teacher education.
Bringing together leading educators, policymakers and researchers from China and Africa, the dialogue emphasised the urgent need to integrate AI into STEM curricula and teacher-training programmes.
In a keynote address, the director of the teacher development division at China’s Ministry of Education, Mr Zhao Jing, called for deeper China-Africa cooperation and the establishment of digital dialogue mechanisms to foster innovation and inclusive growth.
“Stepping into the intelligence era, we must form new mechanisms for education and research, coordinate resources and encourage inclusive participation to build a shared digital future in STEM education,” said Mr Zhao.
The conference advocated for forward-looking educational programmes, joint STEM teacher-training initiatives and the development of targeted teaching resources.
A strong emphasis was placed on increasing the participation of women and children in science and technology.
Professor Yang Jin, former ambassador and permanent delegate of China to UNESCO, emphasised the urgent need to reform traditional education systems by embracing project-based learning and nurturing creativity in children and youth.
He underscored creativity as an innate quality in every child.
“Children are born with creativity,” he said.
“It is essential that they learn by doing — and do while learning.”
Professor Yang stressed that both parents and teachers play a critical role in maintaining the natural curiosity of children.
“We must help them develop the ability and potential that already exists in their brains,” he added.
Learning, he said, should go beyond the mere acquisition of knowledge.
“As human beings, we research, absorb and interact with new knowledge. But it should not stop there. If we only accumulate knowledge without applying it, we waste the very essence of learning.”
He also called for a transformation in teaching and learning methods, advocating for approaches grounded in the science of learning.
“We must move away from rote memorisation and instead focus on developing skills through experience, collaboration and innovation,” he said.
In his presentation titled “Fostering Youth Innovation and Scientific Literacy: Insights from Zimbabwe Science Fair”, Mr Knowledge Chikundi, who is the president of Zimbabwe Science Fair, indicated that they had reached over 500 000 students and trained more than 1 000 educators across Southern Africa.
The fair runs four major STEM programmes — three national and one international — and maintains 25 collaborative partnerships.
“The Zimbabwe Science Fair is a testament to the fact that African innovation is world-class,” Mr Chikundi said.
“We have established a science exploration centre in Zimbabwe and participated in award-winning international expos where our students have excelled globally.”
One of the fair’s most notable achievements is Pelagia Majoni, a student who became the first African woman to have a minor planet named after her, marking a historic milestone in African science education.
Mr Chikundi was also invited to participate in field visits to observe how AI is being implemented in schools across China and other countries, further strengthening Zimbabwe’s commitment to digital transformation in education.
The dialogue concluded with a renewed commitment from both China and African countries to harness AI and digital tools for inclusive, future-ready STEM education.
The event served as a platform for mutual learning, strategic planning and resource sharing – laying the groundwork for a new era of international cooperation in science education.
