“I don’t have any difficulties following the lessons because they are taught in a language that I better understand,” says Cheikh Talib, a learner in Senegal benefitting from a UNECO pilot project offering vocational training to non-literate and out-of-school youth. “In the future, I would like to create a large carpentry company here in Saint-Louis and train carpenters using the Wolof language like I’ve had the opportunity to.”
Figures show that only 1% of grade two students in Senegal are taught in the language they speak at home. UIS data shows that children who do not speak the language of instruction at home are more likely to leave school early. These challenges are also present in adult education. A lack of bilingual education contributes to demotivating learners which can lead to them dropping out. Senegal’s low school enrolment rate which stands at 85.9% (2020) (*), is below the national target of 90.8% standing at 83% is and is a major factor in the rise of non-literate and out-of-school youth. This is why UNESCO is supporting the Government in a pilot initiative to offer non-literate or out-of-school youth vocational training through the Capacity Development for Education (CapED) Programme.
The project involves developing carpentry training programmes in two vocational training centers in Kaffrine and Saint-Louis to use a new pedagogical model. The model’s innovation is to provide training in Wolof instead of French supported by digital resources. Offering the course in learners’ first language has led to several results. Youth and early school leavers without literacy and numeracy skills, who were previously excluded, can now access training centers. The new course can now be completed in two years instead of the usual three, minimizing the risk of learners dropping out and preparing them to join the job market more quickly. Notably, the change has also resulted in the number of students enrolling in the course almost doubling.
Providing vocational training in the Wolof language
The programme contributed to developing the capacities of 16 trainers in Wolof, techno-pedagogy, video editing, and scripting. Today, trainers are skilled in producing educational video clips with Wolof subtitles which are uploaded to a dedicated platform maintained by the Ministry of Vocational Training and are accessible and available to training centers nationwide. The first cohort of carpentry learners, who commenced their training in 2022 are also being taught skills in economics, personal development and entrepreneurship. When their two-year course comes to an end, they will sit exams and if successful receive a recognized certificate of professional skills.
As part of this initiative, an illustrated glossary of 1,200 carpentry terms was created. This is an important contribution to the standardization of the Wolof language, and plans to expand the pilot project to other trades and languages will create additional glossaries. This initiative complements the programme's efforts to establish national languages as mediums of instruction in formal and informal education.
“Because this project is in Wolof it’s better,” says Alouine Bar, one of the carpentry trainers who took part in the pilot. He explains how across Senegal training centers are not able to fill their classes due to courses not being taught in learners’ first language. He notes that the initiative has helped his center attract new learners: “Here this year, we have 20 learners. Before we only had five or seven. This is because there was an issue with language. We had students who didn’t have the oral or written skills in French. If they did come, they would do 1-2 years and would then drop out.” Alouine explains that Wolof is more complicated than French as it’s an oral language and you need support from literacy facilitators. Looking ahead, he would not only like to reinforce the literacy skills of the trainers, but all the training centre’s staff.
Looking ahead, there are plans to expand the model to other fields and in other national languages. The programme has also developed a guide for trainers on quality assurance in vocational training institutions which will be disseminated nationwide so that all training centres can benefit. The pilot complements UNESCO’s efforts to support the development of literacy and non-formal education, as well as the TVET sector in Senegal.
- Learn more about UNESCO’s Capacity Development for Education (CapED) Programme
(*) Ministry of National Education, Senegal, Department of Educational Planning and Reform "Rapport annuel de performance du secteur de l’éducation et de la formation", May 2021, p.-9
