Demir backs pen-and-paper learning as AI use grows in schools

Flemish Education minister Zuhal Demir has called for schools to place more focus on pen-and-paper learning after a new study found widespread use of artificial intelligence among teenagers.

The Apenstaartjaren study showed that 77% of secondary school pupils use AI tools at least once a week. Around two-thirds said they use AI to help with homework. Many admitted hiding the extent of their use from teachers and parents.

Demir said schools must set clear limits on AI use. “AI is already in the classroom, but not always visibly,” she said. “Education is about learning to think, not just getting answers.”

She stressed that she is not against AI, but warned that relying too heavily on it could weaken pupils’ ability to think independently. Demir argued that writing by hand helps students understand, structure and remember information better.

”Education is about learning to think, not just getting answers”

The minister also pointed to international findings suggesting pupils who spend less time on screens often perform better in concentration and understanding.

The same study found that smartphone use among teenagers has fallen from 66% to 56% over the past two years, following the introduction of school smartphone bans in Flanders.

According to the research, 53% of pupils said they now talk more with classmates during breaks, while 37% reported feeling less distracted in lessons.

Demir said the ban was helping create “calm and focus” in schools. However, about half of pupils said the rules are only partly followed, with some students still secretly using their phones during the school day.

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