Introduction

Digital technology is an essential tool for development, and the Senegalese government has deemed it necessary to introduce policies to increase the proportion of women in education by promoting science subjects. However, the State’s ambition to transform the education system by introducing digital technology as a key lever is being overtaken by realities linked to its backwardness and the absence of policies as well as financial and material resources.

Innovative initiatives

Senegal has launched a programme to improve access to skills-based education and to train young people capable of taking on more than 35,000 jobs by 2025. To this end, the Senegalese government has implemented initiatives to improve the range of digital training courses and opportunities on offer. With this in mind, the government, national and international private-sector players have set for themselves a single objective: to equip Senegal with professionals capable of training developers, data analysts, and specialists in technological professions. In its programme entitled “Sénégal Numérique” (Digital Senegal), the government has, a sum estimated at 1.7 billion euros for a project aimed at creating new training courses in Cloud, Artificial Intelligence, Big Data, and the Internet of Things. This ambition is the cornerstone of the multiplication of the digital sector, which will have a definite impact on the Senegalese economy.

Difficulties encountered on the ground

Despite these efforts, Senegal faces several challenges that constitute a major handicap, including the lack of infrastructure, equipment, and structural programmes, caused by the absence of training to help students specialize in the digital sector. In addition, the problem of ensuring incubation and financing projects is pushing the envelope further in the hope of closing the gap between salaries and the cost of living to combat the brain drain. The sector is aiming to breathe new life into the sector by providing new sources of growth for players who will achieve a GDP of 10% by 2025.

Conclusion

The use of digital technology in the educational system is a vector for development that facilitates access to information. However, Senegal is encountering difficulties in the process of transforming to digital. Despite the State’s commitment to providing digital resources and tools, there is little use of digital technology in education. The lack of data exchange and the disparity between the capital and the regions in terms of infrastructure and digital equipment is becoming a handicap.