The Nation celebrated this morning the excellence and dedication of our teachers during the Grand Prix of the President of the Republic for the Teacher.
During the ceremony, Mr. Bara MBENGUE was honored, and all the awardees were warmly congratulated for their exemplary dedication. Through their commitment, these men and women are shaping the future of our Republic by passing on knowledge and values to future generations.
Together, let us make the Senegalese School shine and build a better Senegal for tomorrow, where every child receives the tools necessary to fully realize their potential.
Below is the full speech of the President of the Republic:
Only the spoken version is valid
Mr. President of the National Assembly,
Mr. Prime Minister,
Mr. Minister of National Education,
Ladies and Gentlemen Ministers and Secretaries of State,
Ladies and Gentlemen deputies and local elected officials,
Ladies and Gentlemen members of the diplomatic corps,
Mr. President of the National Jury of the Grand Prix of the Head of State for the Teacher,
Ladies and Gentlemen governors,
presidents of regional selection committees,
Ladies and Gentlemen representatives of technical and financial partners,
Ladies and Gentlemen representatives of teachers' union organizations,
Ladies and Gentlemen presidents of parents' and students' organizations and civil society organizations, Religious and traditional authorities, Dear teachers, Dear parents of students, Dear students, Honored guests, Ladies and Gentlemen,
The ceremony that brings us together today is a solemn and privileged moment for the entire Senegalese Nation. It is about paying tribute to some of the most eminent figures within the teaching community; men and women who, every day, strive to shape consciences and guide our path towards progress. That is why I made a point to personally preside over the award ceremony for the winners of the Grand Prix of the Head of State for the Teacher.
We all know that since Independence, teachers, like doctors, have been among the first and most prestigious civil servants of our young Nation. Many of us, as simple students, looked up to these teachers and professors who taught us much more than knowledge: they instilled in us their passion, their sense of public service, and their desire to elevate our country to new horizons.
Immediately after taking office, I addressed a letter on April 8, 2024, to all state agents, inviting them to continue being "the guardians of our republican values, the artisans of our development, and the sentinels of our social cohesion." And I concluded with this exhortation: "Together, in solidarity, let us build the Senegal of tomorrow."
More recently, at the first Conference of Public Administrators and Managers (CAMP) on January 20, I reaffirmed my esteem for "the constant commitment of all public agents, both civil servants and non-civil servants, whose daily dedication keeps the republican spirit alive." Ladies and Gentlemen, Who better than you, teachers, to root the salvific, patriotic, and civic work of Jub, Jubal, Jubbanti to which I invite all components of our social fabric, for the decisive change of our mentalities and behaviors, individually and collectively?
Who better than you, who bear the heavy responsibility of shaping the civic consciousness of tomorrow, can instill in future generations the principles of integrity, honesty, and exemplary behavior, the foundation of a stronger, fairer, and more united Senegal?
Your duties and responsibilities are further increasing in the context of the ongoing transformation of our educational system. This transformation is driven by several major innovations:
The New Initiative for the Humanistic Transformation of Education (NITHÉ),
The introduction of national languages in schools as languages of instruction, thanks to the Harmonized Model of Bilingual Education in Senegal (MOHEBS),
The learning of English from preschool and elementary levels,
The integration of ICT, and ultimately, the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in teaching practices.
All these initiatives reflect the will to build an educational system that meets the challenges of our time and the future. Teachers, therefore, are at the forefront of this project, guarantors of the quality of education and the preparation of our youth for a constantly changing world. Ladies and Gentlemen, The just and prosperous Senegal to which we aspire requires citizens deeply rooted in strong republican values, aware of the common good and the general interest, animated by deep patriotism and a love of hard work.
That is why I have instructed the Government to proceed with the transformation of our education and training system, both in its organizational model and methods of action and its curricula, to build a true educational society. This means creating an educational society in which all components recognize themselves and contribute to the formation of a Senegalese rooted in its strong, endogenous, and African civilizational values, while being able to meet the challenges of the present and future of a continually and rapidly changing Humanity.
In this dynamic, the revaluation of the teaching profession imposes itself as a major imperative and a strategic lever at the heart of the national transformation agenda, as inscribed in the Vision Senegal 2050.
Ladies and Gentlemen, The establishment of the Grand Prix of the Head of State for the Teacher illustrates the Senegalese people's will to magnify the multifaceted and highly decisive contribution of the teaching profession to the national construction work.
Through this Prize, the Nation acknowledges the immense efforts of teachers across the country. These award-winning teachers are models meant to inspire all our compatriots, particularly the younger ones, by showing them that it is possible, but also essential, to work for the progress of one's country, regardless of the sector of intervention, the position held, or the function exercised.
I urge each and every one of us, in all our actions, to demonstrate professionalism, responsibility, generosity, availability, and above all, virtue.
Ladies and Gentlemen, This Grand Prix of the Head of State rewards a teacher whose human, social, and professional qualities, dedication to work, and exemplary behavior in the exercise of their profession, deserve to be recognized and brought to the attention of the entire Nation.
In addition to distinctions in national orders, the Grand Prix of the Head of State for the Teacher is an essential component of the motivation system for teaching staff.
I want to congratulate the President and the members of the national Jury and selection committees for their rigor, concern for transparency, and professionalism, which marked the entire process, from receiving applications to the final phase.
This edition, as tradition dictates, honors teachers of great quality who have distinguished themselves by exceptional merit in the exercise of their noble profession. Dear recipients, this republican ritual, in the presence of all components of the national community, the actors of the School, and your respective families, testifies, among other things, to the recognition by your superiors and public authorities, of your commendable efforts for the fulfillment of the fundamental right to education as enshrined in our Constitution.
That is why, on behalf of the Republic, I want to offer you my heartfelt congratulations.
Mr. Bara Mbengue, by presenting you with this Grand Prix of the Head of State for the Teacher, we do not only acknowledge your personal merits, but we also express, through you, our gratitude to all the teachers of Senegal. You are the craftsmen of the future, those to whom we owe the training of future generations. For that, I say: THANK YOU.
Also, dear teachers, may you continue to inspire and guide current and future generations, and may your passion for teaching remain a beacon for all those you accompany on the path of knowledge.
Finally, I congratulate the Minister of National Education and his teams as well as all the actors of the school who contributed to the success of the organization of this ceremony. I also want to acknowledge and encourage the teaching staff of Senegal, in all categories.
Ladies and Gentlemen, We are a nation anchored in the principles and values of the Republic, whose vocation is to guarantee, everywhere on the national territory, equal access for all to public services, particularly education. I urge the Minister of National Education to continue implementing the necessary provisions for this purpose.
Long live the Senegalese School!
Long live the Republic!
Thank you for your attention.