Author: Ross Chrichton | Based on case studies by: Kadondi Sofia (Uganda), Umar Suraka (Ghana), Geoffrey Makau Mutungi (Kenya), Oluchi Francis-Uko (Nigeria) – from Teaching and learning with technology in Sub-Saharan Africa: Case studies of practice (British Council) | Published on 9 March 2026
Question: How can teachers use AI tools without inputting sensitive or personal student data?
Answer: By anonymising learner information and using AI to support planning, feedback and reflection, while keeping responsibility for final decisions.
Teachers can benefit from AI for lesson planning, content generation, or reviewing learners’ work, but must avoid entering any personal information that could identify learners. This includes full names, student IDs or photos. AI should be treated as a professional support tool – a starting point for ideas and feedback, not a substitute for teacher judgment.
Recommendations:
- Use AI tools to generate lesson ideas, texts, activities or assessment questions without including personal information that could identify a learner.
- For marking or feedback, replace full names with pseudonyms or generic labels before sharing with AI, and always make the final decision yourself.
- First names or familiar character names can be included in stories, exercises, or role-plays to make content relatable, but avoid linking them to real students.
- Always review and adapt AI-generated content before using it with learners, checking for accuracy, bias, cultural relevance and appropriateness.
- Discuss responsible use of AI with colleagues, including privacy, data protection and what type of information should never be shared (e.g. images of learners).
- Establish simple guidelines or agreements for AI use in schools or training sessions, especially when working with shared devices.
- Use AI as a support for professional decision-making, not as a substitute for teacher judgement or assessment decisions.
- Encourage learners (where allowed) to use AI safely for their own practice, but guide them on checking AI outputs and avoiding sharing personal data.
Key takeaways:
- Teachers remain fully responsible for safeguarding learner data, lesson quality, and feedback accuracy.
- Removing names and identifying details helps protect both learners and teachers.
- Clear, practical procedures maintain trust, safety, and professional standards in AI-assisted teaching.
- Thoughtful personalisation (using pseudonyms, placeholders, or first names) keeps content engaging without compromising privacy.