• Senegal launched a national digital library for students as part of a $206 million education digitization plan for 2025–2029.
• The platform offers validated educational content across all levels and supports both in-class and remote learning.
• Unequal internet access, especially in rural areas, remains a major constraint to adoption.

Senegal decided in January 2025 to invest $206 million to finance its digital education strategy for 2025–2029. As a result, authorities have started to implement concrete initiatives.

The government announced on Monday, April 20 the launch of a national digital library dedicated to students. The platform aims to facilitate access to educational resources and ensure continuity of learning amid recurring disruptions to the school calendar.

The digital library is accessible online via smartphones, tablets and computers. The platform provides content across multiple education levels, from preschool to secondary education.

Teachers validated the resources, which include lessons, interactive exercises and revision tools. Two solutions structure the offering: Senkala focuses on assessments and exercises, while Promet delivers educational content and supports autonomous learning.

The initiative aims to guarantee pedagogical continuity by enabling students to continue learning outside the classroom. In parallel, the program supports a broader strategy to modernize education by integrating digital technologies into teaching methods.

The platform also aims to reduce educational inequalities, particularly between urban and rural areas. Therefore, authorities position the initiative as both an access tool and a structural reform lever.

However, access to home internet remains highly unequal across Senegal, according to a survey published in July 2025 by the National Agency of Statistics and Demography (ANSD). Only 43.8% of households in Dakar have internet access, while the rate falls to 16.3% in other urban areas and drops below 3% in rural areas.

DataReportal estimates higher levels of mobile internet access. By the end of 2025, Senegal had 11.5 million internet users, representing a penetration rate of 60.6%. Nevertheless, these disparities could limit the full impact of the digital library.

This article was initially published in French by Adoni Conrad Quenum

Adapted in English by Ange J.A de Berry Quenum