Cao Bochun, Yali High School

Ensuring equal access to opportunities for all individuals is critical in any society. The “after-school service” initiative, established to provide comprehensive care and educational support to students, is a significant effort towards education equality that particularly benefits rural families.

In the past few decades, a significant number of parents have migrated from rural to urban areas for better employment opportunities, leaving behind a large population of rural children who lack necessary resources and parental guidance. These “left-behind children” often turn to digital pastimes, many becoming addicted to games and short videos. Statistics from the Ministry of Education shows that there were more than 1.71 million such children receiving compulsory education in Hunan Province alone in 2021.

Despite the urgent need for after-school services in rural schools, our research of a Hunan city shows that the schools in its rural areas have limited extracurricular offerings compared to those in urban areas, perpetuating an educational divide.

Moreover, rural educators face challenges, including increased workloads and difficulties integrating technology into their teaching methods.

An average rural teacher is responsible for teaching at least two different subjects, with neither the energy nor the knowhow needed to offer specialized courses in music, sports or art.

A scarcity of resources also plagues rural schools, with a lack of research laboratories, sports facilities, and access to online resources. What’s needed is a comprehensive online education framework offering individualized learning for students.

To address these challenges, my teammates and I propose leveraging Artificial Intelligence (AI) educational services. By collaborating with educational institutions, government bodies, and private enterprises, we can expedite the technological advancement and practical deployment of AI in rural areas.

AI tutors, built on large language models (LLMs) such as Open AI’s GPT-4, can enhance student learning, foster critical thinking, and provide personalized support. The success of the Silicon Valley-based Khan Lab that utilizes Khanmigo, an AI tutor built upon Open AI’s GPT-4 model, is a good example.

By leveraging LLMs, robust network connectivity, and electronic terminals, we can build a similar model that will enable personalized learning. Incorporating AI tutors into after-school services for rural children will help to bridge the gap of resources between cities and rural areas and promote educational equity in China.