International Congress of Education in San Luis, Argentina

San Luis International Education Congress 2026: Artificial Intelligence, Teacher Training, and Unresolved Challenges

San Luis transformed the La Punta Convention Center into the setting for one of the key educational events on its 2026 provincial agenda. On Friday, October 16, and Saturday, October 17, the first International Education Congress—titled "San Luis, Cradle of Teachers"—took place. The initiative was spearheaded by the administration of Claudio Poggi, through the Ministry of Education, with the support of the Varkey Foundation. The event brought together over 5,500 educators and school administrators, featuring around twenty national and international experts. The program focused on artificial intelligence (AI), pedagogical innovation, school leadership, and the challenges facing education in a society undergoing profound technological transformation.

The congress was part of what has been designated the "Year of Education" and drew upon a significant historical milestone: in 1826, Domingo Faustino Sarmiento opened a school in San Francisco del Monte de Oro. Two hundred years later, the provincial government invoked this tradition to spark a discussion about the future of teaching. The decision to center the event on artificial intelligence addressed a widespread concern among teachers, administrators, and policymakers: how to integrate technologies that alter the production and dissemination of knowledge without undermining the pedagogical relationship, the intellectual autonomy of students, or the social function of the school. This issue goes well beyond the mere learning of digital tools; it necessitates a broader conversation about what knowledge a society requires, what capabilities new generations must develop, and what responsibilities fall to the state, educational institutions, and educators.

The congress agenda was organized into four main thematic blocks: AI + Teaching and Learning; AI + Leading the Classroom and the School; AI + The Purpose of Education; and AI + Possible Futures. This structure allowed for an exploration of technology from various perspectives—ranging from its applications in daily planning and work to its implications for teachers' professional identity and traditional conceptions of teaching and learning. The program combined keynote lectures, panel discussions, conversations, workshops, and hands-on experiences, all aimed at providing educators with tools to interpret the changes currently affecting school institutions.
Presentations included "Learning for a Future We Cannot Predict" by Ángela Olazarán; "Preparing a Generation for an AI-Mediated Future" by Sister Zeph and Agustín Porres; "What Does AI Reveal to Us About the Human Element in Education?" by Gustavo Riesgo; and "Understanding AI to Rethink Education" by Punya Mishra. These diverse perspectives helped frame a discussion that can no longer be limited to the simple question of whether or not students should use artificial intelligence tools. The real challenge lies in understanding their potential, recognizing their limitations, and establishing pedagogical criteria that allow for their integration without letting them become substitutes for thought, inquiry, and creativity.

Generative AI can assist in preparing materials, proposing activities, organizing information, designing assessments, and offering alternative explanations tailored to students with diverse needs. It can also streamline certain administrative tasks, giving teachers more time to support students throughout their educational journeys. However, the outputs generated are not necessarily accurate, neutral, or appropriate for every context. These systems can produce false information, perpetuate biases, oversimplify complex problems, or present convincing-sounding answers without any genuine understanding of the subject matter.

Therefore, integrating artificial intelligence into education requires far more than just distributing applications or teaching users how to prompt the system for automated responses. It demands professional development, critical digital literacy, and data protection personal perspectives, evaluation criteria, and ongoing reflection on authorship, privacy, and intellectual responsibility. While technology can expand the possibilities for teaching, it does not, in itself, determine the quality of education.