'Gen Z, Gen Alpha Have Information But Lack Knowledge; Teachers Must Bridge That Gap', Says Devendra Fadnavis At Nagpur Education Conference | VIDEO

Maharashtra's Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis addressed the Ninth International Principals Educational Conference 2026 in Nagpur, highlighting the crucial role teachers and principals play in transforming the massive amount of information available to students into meaningful knowledge. The conference, held from October 22 to 24 at the Indian Institute of Management (IIM), MIHAN, Nagpur, featured principals from educational institutions across India.

This year's theme was "Understanding WOW (World of Wonderful) Generations – Bridging Insights and Innovations."

Fadnavis spoke about the unique challenges and opportunities of educating Generation Z and Generation Alpha, who have grown up in an era of rapid technological advancements and unprecedented access to information. He pointed out that while Gen Z and Gen Alpha have been exposed to a wealth of information, they lack the knowledge derived from it.

Consequently, Fadnavis emphasized the responsibility of teachers and principals in converting the information students possess into knowledge and fostering their ability to process it wisely.

When discussing education systems worldwide, Fadnavis noted that developed countries generally provide education in the mother tongues, while developing countries often adopt the languages of their former colonial rulers. He attributed this disparity to the National Education Policy's emphasis on education in the mother tongue. Furthermore, Fadnavis underscored the significance of communicating with children in their mother tongue, asserting that it contributes significantly to their mental development.

Addressing the growing concerns over mobile phone and social media usage among students, Fadnavis acknowledged that everyone, including teachers, is addicted to mobile phones. He argued that rather than rejecting these technologies, the focus should be on using them responsibly, given the short attention span of today's students.

Lastly, Fadnavis cautioned against the overreliance on Artificial Intelligence (AI), emphasizing that while it can enhance human knowledge, it cannot replace essential human values inherent in the educational system.