Magaye Gaye, renowned economist, welcomed this decision, calling it a strategic and essential orientation for the formation of a “new citizen”. According to him, the formation of a modern citizen does not rely only on religious education, but also includes learning useful languages, such as English, to prepare young people for an increasingly globalized professional world.
The economist also raised a fundamental point: “in the 21st century, illiteracy is no longer limited to the inability to read and write, but also includes insufficient mastery of English and new communication technologies. information and communication (NICT),” he explained. This observation underlines the importance of English in the training of future citizens, who will need to be competent in this language to evolve in a globalized environment.
Magaye Gaye took the example of Rwanda, an African country which introduced English into its education system well before Senegal with some success. According to him, the Rwandan model could serve as a reference for successful implementation adapted to the Senegalese context.
To guarantee the success of this reform, Mr. Gaye insists on the need to take preventive measures against possible obstacles and to put in place adequate support for teacher training as well as for the deployment of appropriate educational resources.
He also suggested that the introduction of English in West African countries should be considered collectively. Such an approach would promote the integration of English- and French-speaking countries and strengthen economic exchanges, particularly in anticipation of the single ECOWAS currency, the Eco, although this project is still uncertain.
Senegal
