Introduction [TJ]

6. YOUTH CYBER CLUBS IN SENEGAL

Ramata Molo Aw Thioune and El Hadj Habib Camara

Area: 196 190 sq km ^243 Location: Sahel, West Africa Capital: Dakar Population: 10.3m (July 2001 est.) Age: 0-14 years:  44.07% 15-64 years:  52.88% 65 years+:  3.05% Iliteracy: 33.1% (M: 43; F:23.2) ( 1995)^244 Life expectancy: 52 years (1997)^245 Active labour: N/A; 40% in youth Official language: French Telecommunications:^246 Landlines 165 874 (1999) Mobiles 165 000 (2000) School Enrolments: Primary: 71% of schoolgoing age Secondary: 16% off schoolgoing age^247	SENEGAL IN BRIEF
Evaluation Survey Sample size: No of Cyber Clubs: 7 No of interviews / questionnaires: 113 questionnaires (94% students); 129 interviews (67% students) Period of evaluation: November 2000
Project Information: Name of Project: Expérimentation d’espaces Cyber Jeunes dans l’enseignement moyen et secondaire au Sénégal Duration: 1998 – 2002 ( two-year project officially closed in 2002) IDRC contribution: 71% of total project costs (FCFA 76 660 000) Implementing Agency: Groupe pour l’Etude et l’Enseignement de la Population (GEEP), Dakar, Senegal Partners: IDRC / WorLD Links; UNFPA; Club 2/3 (Canada); GEEP; Ministry of Health (Senegal); School Online Beneficiaries: Secondary school students (13-21 years) and teachers

6.1 Country Context

6.1.1 Introduction

Senegal is a Sahelian country situated at the extreme western tip of the African continent, with a surface area of 196 722 km². It is bordered by Mauritania to the north, Mali to the east and Guinea and Guinea Bissau to the South. Gambia, a sovereign country lies completely within Senegal to the south.
With a population of 9 582 542 in December 2000, Senegal has a population density of 35 habitants/km². It has a growth rate of about 2,9% and 85% of its population consists of people younger than 20 years. Women comprise about 51% of the total population, 58% of whom live in rural areas. Muslims make up 94% of the population and there are following main ethnic groups: Wolof, Seereer, Toucouleur and Peul, Diola, Mandingo, Balante and Bassari.
Economic growth is sustained by the secondary and tertiary sectors. The primary sector, dominated by agriculture constituted 17,8% of the GDP in 1998. The principal products include groundnuts, fish products and phosphate. The transport and telecommunication sectors contributed 62% of the GDP in 1998.

6.1.2 The Education System in Senegal

The Constitution of Senegal states that the State is responsible for the country’s educational and training policy. This policy is defined and implemented by the Ministry of National Education, Technical Learning and Professional Training (MEN).
Through its Orientation Law (Loi d’Orientation) n° 91-22 of 16 February 1991, the State has to ensure that an appropriate and efficient education and training system is implemented. The State sets the norms, and enables and promotes the full and equitable participation of diverse players, including individual and collective private sector initiatives.
The education system is divided into the formal and the non-formal sectors.
The formal sector is made up of the following:

A Fundamental cycle with:

• 
  Preschooler cycle education which is divided into three levels - the lower, medium and higher sections;
  
• 
  Elementary school divided into six levels; and the
  
• 
  Medium school with 4 levels.
  

General high school with three levels. The curriculum generally concentrates on science and literature. At the end of this cycle students receive the baccalaureate diploma and may enter a University.

Technical education and professional training which is delivered in specialized schools.

Superior (University) level.

Special education targeting marginalized people (such as people with disabilities).

The national education sector is organised around three sub-Ministries:

The Ministry of Advanced Education, Scientific Research and Universities (Enseignement supérieur et la Recherche Scientifique);

The Ministry of National Education, Technical Learning and Professional Training (MEN); and

The Ministry of Literacy and Vernacular Languages.

There are ten Academic Inspectorates (Inspecteurs d’Académie) in the regions, which are responsible for coordinating education activities. Within each sub-region, there is a separate department responsible for the execution of education policy at the local level.

The non-formal sector consists of a Functional Literacy Program, Basic Community Schools, and Street Schools that are currently being tested.

The Functional Literacy Program targets youths up to 15 years of age. This national program was established in 1993 and although coordinated by the MEN, NGOs, the private sector and other partners were invited to participate.

Basic Community Schools constitute an innovation for exploring alternatives models of education. These schools target young students from nine to fourteen years of age, un educated youths or school dropouts. These students are provided with a four-year basic education program that includes a technical component either in French or in the vernacular. Normally, these students can find an occupation after having completed the program cycle.

Street Schools: These are schools that do not fall into any of the above categories and are run by non-formal or non-standardized agencies. The official system provides some form of coordination for these initiatives.

Because of Senegal’s decentralisation policy, education is one of the sectors managed at the local level. The project under discussion in this chapter, the Groupe pour l’Etude et l’Enseignement de la Population (GEEP), is such an example.