AI use in Singapore schools kept age-appropriate, with focus on learning, not shortcuts: Desmond Lee

Data from MOE-built AI tools is anonymised and not used to train external models. Schools using commercial off-the-shelf tools must ensure input data contains no personal or personally identifiable information, in compliance with data management guidelines.

Mr Lee also acknowledged parental concerns about exposing young children to AI, particularly around excessive screen time. Beyond sharing information on how parents can support their children’s AI use, MOE provides details on how tools are used in teaching and offers avenues for parents to share their views.

“AI has been developing rapidly and is increasingly embedded into everyday systems around us,” he said.

“If we’re not mindful, we may lose the consciousness in detecting the presence of, and influence that AI has in our decision making and ways of thinking, simply because it works so seamlessly. So development of AI literacy is critical and must be timely.”

In a supplementary question, MP Kenneth Tiong (WP–Aljunied) asked if parents can opt their children out of specific aspects of AI tool usage in classrooms.

Mr Lee said that it depends on whether it is an SLS-enabled tool and is used in classroom learning.

“It’s part of teaching and learning. It’s part of teachers’ blended approach, and I think that will enable our teachers to be able to help our children learn the cognitive aspects, foundational knowledge, more deeply.”

He added that if specific external tools are brought and parental consent is not obtained, schools will not allow children to use those AI tools.

Mr Lee likened restricting children’s use of AI in blended learning to saying, “I don’t want my children to have a whiteboard, I want a blackboard.”

“We must enable our teachers to be able to perform their role, and this is of course subject to MOE guidance and good Singapore teaching practice.”