St Joseph Diocesan College 5 (CDSJ5) held a signing ceremony on its campus in Toi San district yesterday with iFLYTEK (MACAO) COMPANY LIMITED, aiming for the partnership to enhance the Catholic school’s AI education.
According to a statement issued during the ceremony, the two parties signed a memorandum of cooperation (MoC) to deepen collaboration in the field of AI education, promote the intelligent transformation of basic education, and work together to establish a smart teaching demonstration base in Macau.
Education and Youth Development Bureau (DSEDJ) Curriculum Development and Assessment Division Chief Cheang Sek Kit said in a speech that building a strong education system is a national strategy, and that Macau needs to cultivate versatile talent equipped with technological literacy and practical skills. The collaboration deal between CDSJ5 and iFLYTEK to launch an Internet of Things (IoT) course embodies the concept of school-enterprise cooperation, integrating cutting-edge technological innovation into vocational education and building a talent pool for the digital economy, he said, adding that the bureau will continue to support the diversified development of non-tertiary education and encourage cross-sector collaboration.
CDSJ5 Principal Wong Kin Man noted in a speech that the school has over 2,600 students and will use AI to empower classroom teaching and administrative work. He noted that this would reduce teachers’ workload and improve efficiency while laying a foundation in students’ digital literacy.
Rain Xie Yu, executive general manager of iFLYTEK (Macao), pointed out that the company was founded in 1999 and is committed to empowering public welfare undertakings through AI technology. He expressed the hope that AI can help return to the original educational ideal of “teaching according to each student’s aptitude”.
According to the statement, under the agreement, the two parties will collaborate in four key areas: big data-driven precision teaching and assessment reform; classroom teaching reform to reduce workload and improve efficiency; the establishment of AI laboratories and related curriculum training; and exchange platforms at both the Greater Bay Area (GBA) and national levels.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the ceremony, Lam Chan Cheong, the school’s vice-principal, said that CDSJ5 has already introduced coding and AI courses from kindergarten through to secondary level. This year, in conjunction with the Education and Youth Development Bureau’s (DSEDJ) Macao Smart Education Platform, the school is using AI to analyse examination data and provide students with personalised learning suggestions, Lam added.
He emphasised that the school will teach students how to use AI responsibly, ensuring they stay grounded amid the AI wave, while helping them turn their AI knowledge into practical projects.
St Joseph Diocesan College 5 students use devices provided by iFLYTEK (MACAO) COMPANY LIMITED to answer questions during a demonstration lesson at the school yesterday.– Photos: Armindo Neves
St Joseph Diocesan College 5 (CDSJ5) Principal Wong Kin Man (front row, left), iFLYTEK (MACAO) COMPANY LIMITED Executive General Manager Rain Xie Yu (front row, right), Education and Youth Development Bureau’s (DSEDJ) Curriculum Development and Assessment Division Chief Cheang Sek Kit (back row, centre), Chinese Educators’ Association of Macau (EDUM) President Cheang Hong Kuong (back row, left) and Macao Catholic Schools Association Chairman Fr. Joseph Chow Pak-Fai pose during yesterday’s ceremony held on CDSJ5’s campus.
