Senegal is expanding the use of local languages in primary schools to help children learn faster, improve reading skills and overcome language barriers that have affected education in the country for decades.
The initiative allows pupils to study in both French, the country’s official language, and national languages such as Wolof, which is widely spoken across Senegal.
According to a report published by the Gates Foundation, fewer than 1% of Senegalese speak French at home, despite the language traditionally being used for classroom instruction.
The bilingual education programme, introduced by Senegal’s Ministry of Education in 2015, is changing how children learn by allowing them to understand lessons in languages they already speak.
Seven-year-old Mansour Fall, a primary school pupil in Dakar who dreams of becoming president, is among the children benefiting from the programme.
His mother, Aminata Ba, initially worried that learning in Wolof alongside French might affect his future opportunities. However, she changed her opinion after noticing improvements in his academic performance and confidence.
“I changed my mind once I saw how much my son was thriving in class, how focused he was, and how good his grades were,” she said.
The programme, known as the Unified Framework for Bilingual Education in Senegal (MOHEBS), is being implemented in partnership with the nonprofit organisation Associates in Research and Education for Development (ARED).
Research highlighted by the Gates Foundation shows that children taught in national languages recorded a 29-percentage-point improvement in meeting oral reading and reading comprehension benchmarks compared with pupils taught only in French.
ARED Executive Director Mamadou Amadou Ly said the initiative was developed to address longstanding challenges in children’s reading and understanding.
Before the programme, he explained, more than 70% of children struggled to read even a simple sentence.
The bilingual education model has now reached 13 of Senegal’s 16 education regions and is being delivered in six national languages, with plans to introduce two additional languages in 2026.
Teachers have also reported improvements in classroom participation, with pupils becoming more confident in answering questions, recognising letters and understanding instructions.
Primary school teacher Fatoumata Cissé said allowing children to learn in familiar languages has made teaching more effective.
“Students were recognizing letters; others were blending syllables. Participation increased,” she explained.
Despite the progress, education officials say expanding the programme will require additional teaching materials and resources to reach more schools.
Ndeye Aby Ndao Cissé, Senegal’s Director of Elementary Education, said the initiative forms part of the country’s long-term development ambitions under Agenda 2050, which places education and human capital development at the centre of national progress.
Senegal’s approach comes as several other countries, including Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Djibouti, Haiti and Gabon, explore the use of national languages to improve learning outcomes.
UNESCO estimates that approximately 40% of the world’s population still lacks access to education in a language they understand.
For families like Mansour’s, the benefits extend beyond the classroom. The young pupil is now helping his mother and grandmother learn to read and write in Wolof, giving them educational opportunities they did not have while growing up.
The programme highlights how teaching children in languages they understand can improve learning, strengthen confidence and create opportunities for future generations.
