Gove Urges Return to Traditional Education as AI Sparks Cheating Concerns

Michael Gove Calls for a Return to Traditional Education Amid AI Challenges

Former Education Secretary Michael Gove has voiced strong support for traditional academic education as a critical defense against the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) in schools. He warns that children don't need more digital skills taught in school—they already acquire these outside the classroom—but rather a solid foundation in traditional knowledge to navigate the risks posed by AI tools like ChatGPT.

Gove highlights an “epidemic of cheating” triggered by AI, pointing out that essays produced by AI undermine genuine scholarship. According to him, handwritten essays remain the most reliable way to assess a student’s true understanding and skills.

Why Traditional Education Matters More Than Ever

AI has made it easier for students to submit work that doesn’t reflect their own effort or thinking. Gove stresses that this creates a risk of presenting false knowledge as real expertise. In response, he argues that the best defense is a robust academic education that focuses on critical thinking, social confidence, and the ability to distinguish truth from falsehood.

“AI has created a huge potential for corruption and a huge opportunity for people to present themselves as knowledgeable when they don't actually have those skills,” Gove said. “It is precisely because AI is going to change our lives so much that I believe we need to be armed with the knowledge that traditional education provides.”

Digital Skills Are Not the Answer

Addressing education leaders and students at an event in Newbury, Gove dismissed the current push to teach more digital skills in schools. He argued that young people are already "digital natives" and often have more digital exposure than necessary outside school.

“One of the in vogue buzz phrases of our era is 'we want schools to teach digital skills'. Nonsense! Young people today get all the digital skills they could ever need outside school—arguably to excess,” he said. Instead, Gove advocates for a curriculum rooted in traditional academic subjects, which nurture reasoning and discernment.

Challenges in Higher Education and Assessment

The impact of AI is already visible in universities, where an increasing amount of submitted work is suspected to be generated by AI rather than through genuine research or study. Gove warns that this issue could spread throughout the entire education system unless changes are made.

He criticizes digital exams and coursework platforms for making cheating easier, calling such approaches a “retrograde step.” Instead, he recommends handwritten essays and oral exams as more reliable methods to evaluate student learning.

“The surest test in higher education and also in schools is actually a handwritten pencil and paper essay or an oral exam conversation,” he said.

Building Mastery Through Traditional Learning

Gove emphasizes the importance of patient practice and cumulative knowledge acquisition to develop mastery in a subject. This foundation, he says, will help young people use AI tools effectively rather than be misled by them.

He also challenges the progressive educational view that less knowledge is needed because information is easily accessible online. Instead, Gove insists that more knowledge is necessary to critically evaluate the flood of information and identify what is trustworthy.

“A well-stocked mind is the best guide for making your way through this forest of knowledge,” he stated.

Conclusion

Michael Gove’s message is clear: as AI changes the educational landscape, the answer is not to focus on digital skills in isolation but to strengthen traditional academic learning. This approach equips students with critical thinking and discernment skills essential for the challenges AI presents.

For education professionals interested in how AI affects learning and assessment, exploring courses on AI literacy and ethical use in education can be valuable. Resources like Complete AI Training’s latest AI courses offer practical insights on integrating AI responsibly in educational settings.