Education reforms drive digital shifts in Senegal and language debates in Algeria

In Senegal, Education Minister Moustapha Guirassy has launched a three-day workshop in Saly to discuss the deployment of digital platforms within the national education system. The initiative, part of the 2025-2029 Digital Strategy for Education, aims to modernize public services and reduce regional disparities. Key measures include the ‘Planète 3’ platform, intended to manage student registrations and re-enrollments online by the next school year, and the ability for students to access exam results via QR codes.

Guirassy emphasized the need for a coherent and sustainable policy regarding connectivity, data management, and the responsible use of artificial intelligence, while noting that technology cannot replace teachers.

Meanwhile, in Algeria, proposed educational reforms have sparked a debate regarding language instruction. Following suggestions by Education Minister Mohamed Seghir Sadaoui to potentially replace French with English as the sole foreign language in the third year of primary school, a controversy has emerged. Critics and proponents are divided over the ideological implications of shifting away from French toward English, which some view as the language of science and technology, while others argue against the rapid displacement of the country's existing linguistic landscape.