Sénégal set to embrace English, new educational reform for primary schools

Senegal has disclosed a plan to introduce English language instruction in primary schools, specifically targeting the CM1 and CM2 levels, starting from the upcoming school year.

This announcement was made on Thursday by Ahmadou Al Aminou Lo, the Secretary-General of the government, during a session addressing the recommendations from the Interministerial Council on the 2024-2025 school year.

The Prime Minister has tasked the Minister of Education with ensuring a structured and realistic roadmap for the implementation of English language teaching, emphasizing equal access for all learners and aligning the curriculum with the demands of the job market. Lo stated, “The Prime Minister requests that the Minister of Education carefully oversees both the experimental phase and the broader deployment of English language education.”

In line with this initiative, the government plans to undertake a comprehensive overhaul of the educational curricula, with the involvement of stakeholders across the board. This reform aims to align with the broader vision of national sovereignty, promoting citizenship values, authentic history, national languages, and competencies in science, technology, digital literacy, road safety, environmental education, and sustainable development.

The Prime Minister also expressed a desire to assess the effectiveness of ongoing initiatives related to national languages and report back with the findings. Furthermore, discussions on educational reforms will include revising the certification evaluation system (CFEE, BFEM, BAC) in conjunction with the curriculum overhaul.

In addition to these significant changes, the Minister of Education has been directed to implement a Digital Strategy for Education, which includes the establishment of a digital curriculum set to launch in the National Army Quality and Equity High Schools (LYNAQE) and select centers of excellence.

Finally, the Minister of Higher Education has been called upon to collaborate with the Minister of Finance and Budget to expedite the completion of ongoing projects in educational campuses. The overarching goal of these reforms is to promote values and citizenship through the New Initiative for Humanistic Transformation of Education (NITHÉ).

This ambitious plan marks a pivotal shift in Senegal’s educational landscape, aiming to equip students with essential skills for the modern world.