Prime Highlight
- Burkina Faso has launched the PACTDIGITAL projectto modernize education by integrating digital technology, new curricula, and online learning tools.
- The initiative aims to equip students with digital skills and boost employment opportunitiesin the growing technology sector.
Key Facts
- The project will provide digital equipment to scientific high schoolsin Ouagadougou and Bobo-Dioulasso and launch an online learning platform.
- A 2023 government evaluation revealed challenges such as high internet costs, lack of teacher training, and insufficient ICT infrastructurein schools.
Background
Burkina Faso is taking important steps to integrate digital technology into its education system. The Digital Transformation Acceleration Project (PACTDIGITAL), led by the Ministry of Digital Economy, announced new measures on Wednesday, September 10, to support the Ministry of Secondary Education and Technical and Vocational Training.
The project will also modernize the teaching methods, instill digital skills, and equip the students with employment opportunities in the expanding technology sector. It will update telecommunications and ICT (Information and Communication Technology) curricula to better match the needs of the job market. Additionally, PACTDIGITAL will launch an online learning platform and provide digital equipment to scientific high schools in Ouagadougou and Bobo-Dioulasso.
Haoua Ouattara, the project coordinator, said these steps are designed to digitize important government processes and improve education quality. Boubacar Savadogo, Minister of Secondary Education, added that the initiative will help train more skilled digital professionals across the country.
The project is an extension of the broader government strategy to deploy technology to enhance major sectors, such as education. In February 2024, the government declared it was planning to create 95 learning mobile apps.
According to a government evaluation done in 2023, it identified challenges of poor coordination among various institutions, lack of awareness among the population, and the high costs of internet connectivity. The other issues in schools include a lack of fiber optic coverage, low functionality of cloud services, a lack of teacher training, and a lack of computer equipment.
UNESCO sanctioned the transition to digital learning arguing that it can be utilized to improve access to education, boost learning outcomes, and equip students with future skills.
Burkina Faso is planning to enter the digital era of education with PACTDIGITAL and provide the young population with new opportunities.
