Debating AI from an early age
The "Semaine des Lycées Français du Monde 2025" across our schools
Semaine des Lycées Français du Monde 2025
The Semaine des Lycées Français du Monde is a key moment dedicated to exploring major educational issues shaping our societies. This year’s edition, focused on creativity, critical thinking and innovation in the age of artificial intelligence, invites students and teachers to examine the role of AI in our daily lives. Across the Odyssey Education group, from preschool to high school, classrooms have become spaces for dialogue, inquiry and analysis, laying the foundations for a thoughtful and informed digital culture.
Debating from an early age
From preschool onward, students learn to voice their first questions about the technologies that surround them. At EFI Skopje, young learners took part in a guided and age-appropriate debate on “intelligent machines” — a playful way to introduce them to the difference between reality and imagination, and between human capabilities and automation.
In Singapore, first-grade students engaged in two philosophical workshops: “What is a friend?” and “My Robot Friend.” Conducted in a bilingual format, these discussions encourage children to reflect on emotions, relationships, and what fundamentally distinguishes a machine from a human being.
Analyzing information
As students progress through their schooling, their critical eye sharpens.
At EFI Skopje, the 4ème (8th grade) and 3ème (9th grade) explored misinformation through a series of analytical activities before meeting with their headmaster for a discussion on source reliability. At the Institut International Saint-Dominique in Rome, CM1 students (4th graders) debated the role of AI in society, while CM2 students (5th graders) took part in a philosophical workshop dedicated to critical thinking in the digital age.
At EFI Casablanca, high school students in the HGGSP specialization met with journalist Hicham Houdaifa. This exchange allowed them to explore the role of investigative journalism, the risks of manipulation, and the importance of strong critical thinking skills in an environment where information circulates rapidly—and often without filters.
Learning to verify
In several of our schools, students experimented with analyzing AI-generated images. In Bangkok, a “true or false?” game sparked discussion around the visual clues that reveal an artificial image. In Rome, students from CP to CE2 took part in the “little image detective” workshop, designed to help them spot inconsistencies and develop healthy skepticism. This playful, hands-on approach makes the issues more tangible and helps students build essential reflexes: observe, compare, verify.
Expressing themselves and sharing
Beyond classroom discussions, some schools chose to give their reflections a public dimension.
At EFI Tirana, primary and high school students collaborated on a 20-minute radio programme dedicated to the question: “How can we cultivate creativity and critical thinking in the age of AI?” This empowering experience helped students learn how to structure their ideas, develop arguments, and communicate effectively to a real audience.
At CIF Sarajevo, preschool and kindergarten pupils discovered AI through short documentaries and imitation games. Here again, the goal is clear: nurturing curiosity, encouraging questioning, and inspiring exploration.
Educating future citizens
These initiatives reflect a shared commitment across all Odyssey Education schools: providing students with the tools they need to understand the digital world in which they are growing up. Every action taken during the Semaine des Lycées Français du Monde is part of a long-term effort to develop autonomous, curious and informed citizens from an early age.