What if teachers could instantly generate lesson plans, adapt content for diverse learners, and collaborate across disciplines, all with the help of AI? Generative AI is no longer a futuristic speculation; it is rapidly reshaping teacher education globally. The question is not whether schools will use AI but how well they will use it, especially in places like Pakistan, where teacher training and curriculum reforms are underway but face persistent limitations.
Global Trends & Survey Findings
Teachers Training on AI: Uptake & Trust
- A survey by RAND in the U.S. found that 48% of school districts had already provided teacher training on AI by fall 2024, up from approximately 23% in fall 2023.
- A UK/Ireland “School Leaders Survey” (Browne Jacobson, 2025) reported that approximately 50% of school leaders used dedicated AI tools, with about 20% using AI regularly, and 75% saying their institutions lacked sufficient AI expertise. AI’s potential to ease workload, personalise learning was noted.
- A global survey by McGraw Hill (2025) reported that while many educators expect AI to bring opportunities, most do not see it as solving the biggest challenges students face today (such as mental health or outside-school issues).
Pedagogical Research: What’s Emerging
- A systematic review (TechTrends, 2025) of the use of generative AI in higher education found a growing emphasis on creativity, critical thinking, learning autonomy, and prompt literacy.
- In developing countries (Ghana), a study “Transforming Teacher Education in Developing Countries: The Role of Generative AI in Bridging Theory and Practice” found GenAI helps with content knowledge acquisition and allows teacher educators more space to invest in pedagogical modeling, authentic assessments, and cultivating digital literacy and critical thinking.
- Another recent study “LLMs to Support K-12 Teachers in Culturally Relevant Pedagogy: An AI Literacy Example” shows that tools like CulturAIEd help teachers integrate culturally responsive pedagogy using AI, increase confidence in adapting learning activities to student culture, and make CRP more feasible.
Pakistan’s Curriculum & Its Limitations
- Pakistan’s Single National Curriculum (SNC) aims to unify disparate systems, emphasise critical thinking over rote learning, and include ICT skills. The implementation has been phased: grades 1-5 by 2021, 6-8 by 2023, 9-12 by 2024.
- However, multiple critiques have revealed significant gaps.
- Teacher preparedness and training are inadequate, especially in rural and less-resourced areas. Teachers often lack training in modern pedagogies or in handling ICT/technology tools.
- Outdated content and rote learning biases persist. The curriculum sometimes still emphasizes memorization over application, critical thinking, and problem solving.
- Resource and infrastructure disparities (urban vs. rural, public vs. private) inhibit uniform implementation. ICT access, teacher support, and facilities are uneven.
How AI Helps: Lesson Planning, Project-Based Learning & Breaking Disciplinary Silos
- Lesson Planning: Generative AI can help teachers draft differentiated lesson plans quickly, suggest scaffolding, adjust content for varying student levels, and suggest multimedia or interactive components. This reduces the teacher’s workload and allows for more focus on pedagogy. Global surveys show that lesson planning is among the most common use cases for AI tools.
- Project-based Learning & Interdisciplinarity: AI can help design cross-disciplinary project prompts, generate resources from multiple fields, and simulate scenario-based learning tasks. AI tools help break down silos (e.g., combining STEM with humanities, arts, and social sciences) by generating integrative lesson sequences, assessment rubrics, and student reflection prompts.
- Maintaining Disciplines While Integrating: AI can support teachers in maintaining core disciplinary integrity (e.g., mathematics and sciences) while enabling students to apply knowledge in broader contexts. For example, a science teacher using AI might generate a lesson plan that also requires writing, data analysis, and social implications of technology.
Challenges & Risks
- Overreliance on AI might stifle creativity if teachers or students merely accept outputs without critical evaluation.
- The potential for bias in AI outputs, misinformation, and cultural insensitivity, especially when models are trained outside the local context.
- Infrastructure limitations: Connectivity, device access, electricity, and teacher digital literacy in Pakistan remain serious constraints.
- Data privacy, intellectual property, and ethical issues (e.g., plagiarism and misuse) also require policy guardrails.
Policy & Curriculum Recommendations for Pakistan
The following are suggested reforms to ensure that Integrating Generative AI in Teacher Education becomes an enabling force rather than a superficial trend:
Curriculum Upgrades to Encourage Authentic Assessment & Interdisciplinary Projects
Infrastructure & Resource Support
Policy & Ethical Guidelines
Partnerships & Research
Way Forward: What Pakistan Needs to Do
Putting this into motion requires a coordinated push: curriculum reform, teacher training overhaul, investment in infrastructure, and sound policy. If Pakistan can successfully integrate generative AI into teacher education, it could reduce teacher workload, improve instructional quality, foster creativity and innovation, and better prepare learners for 21st-century challenges.
Call to Action
At NGI Consulting, we believe that Pakistan is at a pivotal moment. The opportunity to integrate Generative AI into teacher education is real, but only if policies, curricula, and teacher training evolve together. We invite educators, teacher trainers, and policymakers to partner with us to conduct pilot programs, share feedback, and co-create ethical, inclusive, and impactful AI-integrated teacher development models. Let us build the future of education together.
References
- Nyaaba, M. (2024, November). Transforming Teacher Education in Developing Countries: The Role of Generative AI in Bridging Theory and Practice. arXiv.
- Wang, J., Xiao, R., Hou, X., Li, H., Tseng, Y. J., Stamper, J., Koedinger, K. (2025, May). LLMs to Support K-12 Teachers in Culturally Relevant Pedagogy: An AI Literacy Example. arXiv.
- Viberg, O., Cukurova, M., Feldman-Maggor, Y., Alexandron, G., Shirai, S., Kanemune, S., Wasson, B., Tømte, C., Spikol, D., Milrad, M., Coelho, R., & Kiz F. (2023). What Explains Teachers’ Trust in AI in Education Across Six Countries? arXiv.
- Pedagogical Applications of Generative AI in Higher Education: A Systematic Review of the Field. (2025). TechTrends.
- OECD. (2023). Digital Education Outlook 2023: Multi-stakeholder collaboration and co-creation: towards responsible application of AI in education. OECD Publishing.
