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NAIROBI | Xinhua | Kenya on Tuesday called on the international community to safeguard education from both physical and digital threats.
Musalia Mudavadi, prime cabinet secretary and cabinet secretary for foreign and diaspora affairs, warned that the safety of schools is no longer threatened solely by armed conflict, but also increasingly by cyber risks, psychological manipulation, and artificial intelligence.
“Technology has brought with it numerous challenges. As we embrace it, how do we make sure our schools are safe with this new silent partner?” he said during the opening ceremony of the Fifth International Conference on the Safe Schools Declaration (SSD) in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya.
The two-day conference marks the 10th anniversary of the SSD, bringing together high-level participants from governments, civil society representatives, academics, and United Nations officials.
He said that while the world continues to confront violent conflicts, displacing millions of children, the cyber threat is emerging in classrooms through technology.
“There is psychological warfare that is now taking a different approach, which can leave deep emotional scars and long-term harm,” he said.
Mudavadi urged global actors to broaden their understanding of insecurity, noting that artificial intelligence and digital platforms have opened new pathways for misinformation, cyberbullying, radicalization, and exploitation, particularly among students.
He also called on governments, civil society, academia, and technology companies to work together to protect learners through policy reforms, cybersecurity frameworks, digital literacy programs, and teacher training. ■
