• Senegal launched a $233 million national program to train 105,000 teachers and administrators in digital tools and artificial intelligence.
• The program is part of the government’s Education Digital Strategy 2025–2029 and includes distributing computers to science students.
• Connectivity gaps remain a challenge, as 40% of Senegal’s population lacked internet access in 2023, according to the ITU.

Senegal’s government is accelerating its digital transformation strategy through new capacity-building initiatives. In August, authorities already organized digital training for members of parliament.

On September 30, the Ministry of National Education (MEN) officially launched a national program to train teachers in digital skills and artificial intelligence. The initiative also includes providing computers to students in science tracks. Officials described the program as the operational start of the country’s Education Digital Strategy 2025–2029, which carries a budget of CFA130 billion (about $233 million) announced in January.

The program stems from a partnership signed in March 2025 between the Ministry of National Education and the Ministry of Higher Education, Research, and Innovation. It targets 105,000 teachers and administrative staff to integrate digital tools and AI into teaching and school management.

The online training will be accessible via computers, tablets, or smartphones connected to the internet. It includes interactive content, self-learning modules, and certified assessments. Teachers will learn to adapt their methods to technological changes, use digital resources to enrich learning, raise student awareness of digital and AI issues, and strengthen cybersecurity and data protection in schools.

“The final objective of this initiative is to integrate digital tools directly into the classroom, not only to modernize teaching but also to create an ecosystem adapted to 21st-century requirements,” the ministry said. “This program is not limited to teacher training. It represents a paradigm shift that will allow Senegalese students to move from being simple consumers of technology to becoming creators and innovators.”

Successful implementation depends on several factors. Access to compatible devices, the cost of internet connections, digital literacy, and telecom coverage remain significant barriers. According to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), nearly 40% of Senegal’s population lacked internet access in 2023.

This article was initially published in French by Isaac K. Kassouwi

Adapted in English by Ange Jason Quenum