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The Australian and Western Australian Governments are collaborating on a co-funded pilot programme aimed at integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI) into the education sector to alleviate teacher workloads in Western Australia (WA). This AU$ 4.7 million initiative is designed to utilise AI tools in eight selected schools across WA, with the primary goal of reducing the time teachers spend on lesson planning and administrative tasks. By streamlining these processes, educators can dedicate more time to direct classroom instruction, enhancing the overall learning experience for students.
The schools participating in this AI pilot programme include Harrisdale Primary School, Joseph Banks Secondary College, Lesmurdie Primary School, the School of Isolated and Distance Education, Emmanuel Catholic College, Ursula Frayne Catholic College, Carey Baptist College, and St James Anglican School. The Department of Education is responsible for overseeing the pilot’s implementation in partnership with Catholic Education WA, the Association of Independent Schools WA, and the School Curriculum and Standards Authority.
The AI technology deployed in this pilot programme is expected to assist teachers by automating various aspects of lesson planning and activity suggestions, ensuring that these elements align with the national curriculum. This technology-driven approach aims to significantly reduce the administrative burden on teachers, allowing them to focus more on student interaction and instructional duties.
The pilot programme is supported by funding from the Commonwealth’s Workload Reduction Fund, which is matched by co-investment from the Cook Government. Additionally, the non-governmental education sector in WA is contributing AU$300,000 towards the initiative. This financial support underscores the collaborative effort between different government levels and the education sector to address teacher workloads through innovative technological solutions.
The development of this pilot programme involved extensive consultation with a broad range of stakeholders, including teachers, principals, deputies, school support staff, peak bodies, and unions. Their input has been integral in shaping the programme to meet the practical needs of educators while ensuring that the AI tools are effectively integrated into the existing educational framework.
This initiative is part of a broader national effort, underpinned by the Commonwealth’s AU$30 million Workload Reduction Fund, which is a key component of the National Teacher Workforce Action Plan. The plan, agreed upon by Education Ministers in December 2022, seeks to address various challenges facing the teaching profession, with a particular focus on workload reduction through innovative solutions like AI.
The AI pilot programme will also be guided by the Australian Framework for Generative Artificial Intelligence in Schools. This framework is designed to help school communities adopt generative AI technologies in a manner that is both safe and effective, ensuring that these tools are used responsibly and in line with broader national guidelines on AI.
Furthermore, this initiative builds on the recent Statement of Intent signed by the Australian and Western Australian Governments, which aims to ensure full and equitable funding for all public schools in WA by 2026. This agreement prioritises the most disadvantaged public schools in WA, with an additional AU$777.4 million investment by the Albanese Government slated for 2025 to 2029.
The integration of AI into the education sector is seen as a strategic move to enhance the efficiency of teaching practices while addressing the growing demands on educators. By reducing the time spent on administrative tasks, the AI tools deployed in this pilot are expected to free up significant resources, enabling teachers to focus more on delivering high-quality education. This initiative reflects a commitment to leveraging technology to support the education system and improve outcomes for both teachers and students.
