Education Department plans age-based rules for AI in basic schools

In short: The Department of Education is moving toward an age-based AI policy for basic education that limits young children’s direct use of AI but does not ban AI in schools.

What happened

Reporting says the Department of Education is preparing an AI policy for basic education that sets different rules by age or grade level. The focus is on letting schools use AI in some ways, while putting stronger limits on younger students.

The policy described in the reporting would allow AI to be used in teaching, learning, testing, and school operations. It also adds “guardrails,” which are basic safety and ethics rules meant to reduce harm.

A key part is a “risk-based framework,” which sorts AI uses into levels such as unacceptable risk, high-risk, limited risk, and minimal risk. Think of it like a school field trip form, where some activities are always off-limits, some need strict supervision, and some are fine with routine checks.

The reporting says some uses would be prohibited outright, including facial recognition or other biometric identification (using a face or fingerprint to identify someone). It would also ban systems that sort people using sensitive traits, “social scoring” (rating people like a credit score for behavior), and tools designed to manipulate minors’ behavior or exploit their vulnerabilities.

For kindergarten to Grade 3, direct student interaction with AI would be restricted and supervised, with safeguards that may include notifying parents.

Why it matters

Many parents and teachers are trying to balance useful classroom tools with privacy and child safety concerns. These rules could shape what students are allowed to use, what schools can buy, and how student data is protected. The clearest details are expected to be confirmed in the full text of DepEd Order No. 003, s. 2026.

Source: NYTimes