Understanding the Impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) Tools on Teaching and Learning in Government Schools in Nepal

Abstract

Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools are increasingly viewed as technologies that can improve teaching and learning. However, there is limited empirical evidence from low-income government school systems. This study examines the relationship between AI tool use, teacher readiness for AI, and student learning outcomes in government schools in Nepal. A quantitative cross-sectional survey design was used. Primary data were collected from 412 government school teachers across 78 schools in all seven provinces during education and technology programs conducted by the author’s non-profit organization, Vidhata, in 2024. The key variables included AI Tool Usage Score, Teacher AI Readiness Score, Student Learning Outcome Score, and School Infrastructure Index. The data were analyzed using multiple regression analysis, mediation analysis, and independent-sample t-tests. The results show that AI tool use is positively associated with student learning outcomes (? = 0.34, p < 0.001). Teacher AI readiness partially mediates this relationship and explains approximately 38 percent of the total effect. Significant differences were found between urban and rural schools, between trained and untrained teachers, and between schools with high and low levels of infrastructure. These findings suggest that AI tools can support teaching and learning in Nepal’s government schools. However, their effectiveness depends strongly on teacher capacity and the availability of adequate infrastructure. The study provides policy-relevant evidence to support the equitable and sustainable integration of AI into Nepal’s public education system.

Introduction

Government (community) schools educate most children in Nepal but face uneven learning outcomes, especially in rural and remote areas. Key challenges include limited teaching materials, weak digital infrastructure, and insufficient teacher professional development, which affect the effective use of new technologies.

While Nepal has expanded basic ICT access through national initiatives, the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in schools is still limited and mostly low-cost. Teachers mainly use simple AI tools—such as lesson planners, question generators, and language support apps—often via personal mobile phones rather than school systems. Despite policy support for technology-enabled learning, there is little empirical evidence on whether AI improves learning outcomes in government schools.

This study aimed to examine the relationship between AI tool usage and student learning outcomes, assess the mediating role of teacher AI readiness, and compare outcomes across different school contexts. Using a quantitative cross-sectional survey of 412 teachers from 78 government schools nationwide, the study measured AI usage, teacher readiness, learning outcomes, and infrastructure.

Findings show that AI tool usage has a significant positive association with student learning outcomes, rejecting the null hypothesis that AI has no effect. School infrastructure and teaching experience also positively influence outcomes. Mediation analysis reveals that teacher AI readiness explains 38% of the total effect of AI usage on learning, highlighting teachers’ central role.

Conclusion

This study provides empirical evidence that AI tools can improve learning outcomes in Nepal’s government schools when teachers are prepared and infrastructure is adequate. Policy efforts should focus on teacher training and equitable infrastructure development rather than technology distribution alone.

References

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Copyright

Copyright © 2025 Aryan Basnet. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.