The Country of SenegalThe Republic of Senegal is located in the west of Africa with a total land area of 196, 722 square kilometers with Dakar as the capital. The overall population is around 15 million (July 2017 est.), at least 23% of it concentrated in Dakar and 70% in rural areas. French is the official language of the country.
Senegal, like the rest of Africa, has the digital divide i.e. a gap between those with access to ICTs and those without. “The digital gap brings with it a danger of isolating certain peoples, those in Africa in particular,” says former Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade. In order to lessen the gap, he popularized “digital solidarity” programme where developed nations committed to assisting developing countries to gain access to ICTs. |
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Status of Lifelong Learning in Senegal
In line with this context, the French government through the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs launched the Program in Cooperation for Development of News Information and Communication Technologies (PROCOOPTIC) to promote ICTs in Africa. One of the components of the program included the Formation Continue en Information Informatisée en Réseau (FORCIIR) or Continuing Education in Networked Computerized Information. This program is based in the L'Ecole de Bibliothécaires, Archivistes et Documentalistes (EBAD) or the School of Librarians, Archivists, and Documentation Specialists (English translation) at Cheikh Anta Diop University in Dakar.
Using distance education as the mode of delivery, the program aimed to upgrade old African information science school diplomas, to recruit information mediators, to produce information products, and to boost the presence of the French language on the Web. The tripartite partnership among the host organization (French Ministry of Foreign Affairs), the learning provider (EBAD), and learners (Senagalese) created breakthroughs in building capacities i.e. equipping EBAD with information science books, subscriptions to databases and access to Internet, establishment of local network, istalling IT equipment, etc.; reforming curriculum i.e. educational content and methods of knowledge assessment; and adopting a new environment of “virtual classroom” for exchange, enhancement and learning. |
Cybersmart digital platform, a project in Senegal, has been changing the way students learn by using a technology kit that includes a solar powered digital device to project instructional materials in classrooms. From: CGTN Africa. (2017). Senagalese school tapping into tech to improve learning. (Youtube). Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oUDj5suVHi
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The partnership also worked on creating a virtual training course designed to replace on-campus courses under the supervision of a professional; and launching a professional training certificate designed to help masters graduates enter the labour market. The model used for this practical experience of combining a certificate course with work experience and the utilization of ICTs demonstrate a blended model, where lifelong learning is put into practice in terms of combining training with work.
Challenges and Opportunities
The program faced two different challenges in the implementation stage – the impact of copyright and mode of evaluation. In terms of the impact of copyright, EBAD had a difficult experience with an online learning management system (LMS). The program initially spent €2000 in order to put its cataloging course online via FADIS LMS. Unfortunately, it became impossible to use the system for any other class or course except the one it was ordered for. This prompted EBAD to use copyright-free platforms or free software and adapted MOODLE which is practical and more convenient to use. Another challenge is the mode of evaluation, which was distance without any supervision. Learners’ identity was not checked or subjected to any monitoring if they are the individuals evaluated and not a third party, or even their working conditions really comply with the ground rules. In addition, end of course dissertations was delivered at EBAD, which means learners from outside Senegal had to travel at their own expense.
Amidst the challenges, the FORCIIR-EBAD program is a successful venture for it generated a large inflow of finances and has enabled to improve course content and curriculum, infrastructure, technological facilities, incomes of teachers and staff, and led to the development of training plans. Due to this, EBAD has developed a network of relationships with other institutions that can provide added value to its undertaking. The program showed that it was possible to develop a distance learning platform using local content and arising from local needs. As such policy considerations were made to create local training centers, promote adult education and training, enhance research on experience validation, encourage the development of short certificate training modules, and foster partnerships between the worlds of business and training.
References:
- Sagna, O. (2005). Lifelong Learning in the African Context: A Practical Example from Senegal. In McIntosh, C. (ed.) Lifelong Learning and Distance Higher Education. Commonwealth of Learning and UNESCO. Retrieved from http://www.universidadazteca.net/yahoo_site_admin/assets/docs/141218e_
- Lifelong_Learning_Distance_HE.63165716.pdf#page=59
- Senegal. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) The World Factbook. Retrieved from https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/sg.html
- L'Ecole de Bibliothécaires, Archivistes et Documentalistes (EBAD). (Official Website) Retrieved from http://www.ebad.ucad.sn/
- Sheriff, L. (23 September 2004). Senegal seeks bridge across digital divide. The Register. Retrieved from https://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/09/23/africa_technology/
- Matume, G. (October 2003). Africa takes on the digital divide. Africa Renewal, 17:3. Retrieved from http://www.un.org/en/africarenewal/vol17no3/173tech.htm
- UNESCO – AUF. (14-16 September 2004). Distance education for teacher training in French-speaking countries. Africa: Proceedings of the UNESCO workshop, Dakar, Senegal. Retrieved from http://www.osiris.sn///IMG/pdf/MemoireMaster2Doudousallgaye.pdf