The President of the Republic, His Excellency Bassirou Diomaye Faye, presided over the solemn award ceremony for the winners of the 2025 General Competition on July 31, 2025, at the Doudou Ndiaye Coumba Rose National Grand Theater in Dakar.
Held under the theme “Humanist Transformation of Education in the Era of Digital Technology and Artificial Intelligence: Challenges, Issues, and Perspectives,” this edition paid tribute to a prominent figure of the Republic, Mr. André Sonko, former Minister of National Education, chosen as the patron for his exemplary commitment to academic excellence and republican values.
In his address, the Head of State extended warm congratulations to the laureates in the presence of distinguished guests and all stakeholders of the educational system. He praised their intellectual rigor, determination, and discipline, describing them as “the bright future of the Nation.”
President Faye emphasized that the General Competition, established over half a century ago, is far more than an academic event: it is “a reflection of Senegal’s intellectual vitality” and proof of the republican school’s ability to shape enlightened citizens.
However, he expressed regret that sciences, technologies, vocational training, and digital education remain the “neglected areas” of Senegal’s educational system. To better align education with the goals of the Senegal 2050 National Transformation Agenda, he called for a systemic reform to make schools attractive, motivating, and inspiring, encouraging students to pursue scientific and technical disciplines.
To this end, the Head of State announced the creation, starting from the 2025-2026 academic year, of a National Mathematics, Science, and Technology Competition for students from CM2 to Terminale, aimed at promoting these fields and fostering young people’s interest in digital technology.
In the context of global technological transformations, President Faye advocated for a humanist transformation of education, integrating digital technology and artificial intelligence (AI) in an ethical and responsible manner. He also warned about the potential risks of AI, such as privacy violations or the perpetuation of inequalities, and called for digital sovereignty based on local research and ethical regulation.
During the ceremony, Mr. Pape Natango Mbaye was honored by His Excellency President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, who awarded him the very first “Gaïndé Medal of Performance.”
This exceptional recognition celebrates Mr. Mbaye’s remarkable journey, having earned his baccalaureate with honors despite overcoming challenges related to his disability, completing his exams by writing with his feet.
Speech of the President of the Republic July 31, 2025 - Only the spoken version is authoritative Mr. President of the National Assembly, Mr. Prime Minister, Ladies and Gentlemen, Members of the Government, Mr. Minister of Vocational and Technical Training, Mr. Minister of Higher Education, Research, and Innovation, Mr. Minister of National Education, Honorable Deputies, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Diplomatic Corps, Ladies and Gentlemen, Technical and Financial Partners, Mr. Patron, Rectors, Ladies and Gentlemen, Heads of Institutions, Ladies and Gentlemen, Teachers, Dear Parents, Dear Students, Dear Laureates, Dear Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen, It is with deep emotion that I address you today on the occasion of this solemn ceremony for the presentation of awards for the General Competition. This significant moment is dedicated to academic excellence, the celebration of individual merit, and the radiance of our collective intelligence. First and foremost, allow me to extend my warmest congratulations to the laureates. Your intellectual rigor, determination, and discipline make you the bright future of our Nation. You proudly embody the Senegal that triumphs through the power of knowledge. I also wish to express the Nation’s gratitude to the national mathematics team for its outstanding participation in the Pan-African Mathematics Olympiads in Gaborone, Botswana. Indeed, this team returned with nine (9) medals, including two (2) gold and one (1) silver. These unprecedented achievements since Senegal’s participation in this competition highlight the merit of these young individuals and their mentors, who have raised our country’s flag high across the continent. Their success confirms the wealth of scientific and technical talent within the Senegalese school system. It is our responsibility—parents, administrators, support staff, teachers, and public authorities—to do everything possible, throughout the country, at all levels of education, and across diverse fields, to nurture and bring to fruition the gems of young talent in all scientific, technical, and digital domains. This guiding principle must be at the heart of the curriculum reform initiated by the Ministry of National Education. Ladies and Gentlemen, Science, Technology, Vocational Training, and Digital Education are the neglected areas of the Senegalese school system. Any reform of our educational system aimed at aligning it with the goals of the Senegal 2050 National Transformation Agenda must focus on transforming schools into attractive, motivating, and inspiring spaces. Schools must encourage all students to learn, understand, and develop a passion for science, technology, digital careers, and vocational training. The educational system must urgently bridge the gap between general education and vocational and technical training. It must also significantly increase the proportion of scientific and technical candidates in the baccalaureate. This year’s 16% of scientific and technical baccalaureate candidates is far below the ambitions for economic, social, and cultural transformation I envision for our country. Thus, I call upon the ministers in charge of these sectors to undertake a systemic and truly innovative reform of the educational and vocational training systems. Ministers, You must combine political will, clarity, collaboration, participation, inclusion, ambition, and creativity to mobilize students, parents, teachers, support staff, the socio-economic sector, artists, and others. This inclusive approach will ignite in every student the desire to learn and master mathematics, science, technology, digital skills, and develop a passion for a trade. It is only at this price that hundreds, if not thousands, of businesses will establish themselves in our country to process our natural resources, extractives, and harvests locally. It is only at this price that our programs will more easily and massively create sustainable employment for our youth, and that the added value from the exploitation of our resources will finally benefit our country and its people. This is the true meaning of the sovereignty I speak of and dream for Senegalese men and women to embrace. To support this qualitative and quantitative process, I have decided to establish the National Mathematics, Science, and Technology Competition for students from CM2 to Terminale, starting from the 2025-2026 academic year. This competition will promote mathematics, science, technology, and digital education throughout the educational system, among students and their parents, and will encourage interest and passion for these disciplines. This is the prerequisite for building a high-quality human capital capable of meeting the challenges of a sovereign, just, and prosperous Senegal. Ladies and Gentlemen, I wish to express the Nation’s gratitude to teachers, school heads, educational supervisors, and families. Behind every awarded student today lies commitment, discreet but essential support, and patient, continuous work. The Senegalese school draws its strength from this intergenerational chain of solidarity among students, teachers, and parents. The General Competition, established over half a century ago, is far more than an academic event. It is a reflection of Senegal’s intellectual vitality, proof that, despite the challenges of our time, the Senegalese republican school continues to carry hope and produce enlightened citizens. Ladies and Gentlemen, The 2025 edition takes place in a context of profound transformation, marked by the adoption of the Senegal 2050 National Transformation Agenda, the launch of the Horizon 2034 Technological New Deal, and the National Consultations on the Transformation Agenda for Higher Education, Research, and Innovation. The chosen theme, “Humanist Transformation of Education in the Era of Digital Technology and Artificial Intelligence: Challenges, Issues, and Perspectives,” invites us to reflect critically on our collective responsibility to ensure an education transition centered on humanity. This theme resonates with particular urgency in our current context. It is both an ethical call, a civilizational challenge, and a strategic horizon for our Nation. It aligns with the perspective of the New Initiative for the Humanist Transformation of Education (NITHE), which seeks to “evolve our educational system toward an inclusive and efficient learning society to shape, by 2035, a citizen firmly rooted in their endogenous African and spiritual values.” Ladies and Gentlemen, We are indeed living in an era of profound disruptions, where technological transformations are reshaping the very foundations of educational systems, economies, and societies. Artificial intelligence, digital platforms, machine learning algorithms, robots, drones, cyberattacks, and cybersecurity applications are no longer objects of the future: they are now present in our classrooms, homes, workplaces, and daily lives. However, it is not merely about introducing new tools into schools but about rethinking the meaning and purpose of education in a reconfiguring world. This is why I commend the quality of the keynote address delivered this morning by Ms. Marianne DIOH, a philosophy teacher at Sagata Djolof High School. I note its clarity of analysis, intellectual rigor, and, above all, the ethical conviction it conveys: a refusal of passive submission to technology and a resolute call for a conscious, critical, responsible, yet determined and proactive integration of digital technology and AI into our educational system. Ladies and Gentlemen, I am convinced that we must urgently move beyond the intellectual dead ends in which Western schools of thought have confined African intellectuals. It is imperative that African countries seize all opportunities offered by new sciences and technologies, such as nuclear, biotechnology, digital, artificial intelligence, and space. We did not start on equal footing with other continents, which unfortunately forces us today into a perpetual catch-up. When you master a science or technology, you can choose not to use it or to humanize it. However, if you spend your time reflecting on the harms of a science or technology, the day will come when you need it and find yourself unable to benefit from its advantages. In reality, science and technology, from time immemorial—whether with the lever in the past or artificial intelligence today—have always had two faces: good and evil. Yes, the challenges are numerous! I place at the forefront the mastery of science, technology, digital, and artificial intelligence. How do we ensure equitable access to digital tools in all regions, for all students, regardless of their social conditions? How do we train and support our teachers in the face of these accelerated transformations? Finally, how do we build an ethical and legal framework that protects the dignity of learners while fostering innovation? To these crucial questions, the keynote address provided robust answers, informed by both our cultural heritage and universal intellectual currents. At a time when artificial intelligence can delegate our decisions, reasoning, and even emotions, it is imperative to cultivate in our youth the ability to think for themselves, to discern, to doubt, and to create. Digital technology and artificial intelligence must, in this perspective, serve humanity, the community, and the sense of living together. We must combine the logic of machines with the wisdom of peoples, the speed of algorithms with the depth of values. It is thus a humanist and technocratic transformation—a cooperation between humanity and machines—that we must champion. This is the vision that the State of Senegal fully embraces in its public policy choices, particularly through the Senegal 2050 National Transformation Agenda, which makes education, science, technology, digital, and vocational training the pillars of endogenous, inclusive, and sustainable development. It is with this in mind that I chose, as the patron of this 2025 edition, a figure whose dedication and commitment to educational issues are beyond question. Ladies and Gentlemen, Allow me, on this solemn occasion, to pay tribute with deep esteem to Mr. André SONKO, a civil administrator and politician who held multiple ministerial positions from 1983 to 2000. As Minister of National Education from June 1993 to April 2000, I rightfully chose him as the patron of this 2025 General Competition. Mr. André SONKO embodies methodical intelligence, enlightened by a profound general culture and an exemplary mastery of the educational challenges of our time. A man of rigor and conviction, Mr. SONKO distinguished himself throughout his career by unwavering fidelity to republican values, a constant commitment to academic excellence, and a humanist vision of the Senegalese school. His journey reflects a keen sense of public service, moral integrity, and attachment to spiritual values. As a senior official, he skillfully combined theory and practice to drive bold reforms that have left a lasting mark on our educational system. Dear patron, accept the gratitude of the entire nation! Ladies and Gentlemen, The Senegal 2050 National Transformation Agenda, adopted as our nation’s long-term roadmap, establishes education as one of the fundamental pillars of building a prosperous, just, supportive, and sovereign Senegal. In this context, youth is identified as the primary lever for transformation. We must rethink our schools not only as places for transmitting knowledge but also as spaces for innovation, ethics, and digital citizenship. A school capable of training technically competent individuals who are also aware of their moral, cultural, and social responsibilities in a globalized world. Ladies and Gentlemen, I would like to commend the remarkable work accomplished by the defense and security forces, the educational teams of the Ministry of National Education, and institutional partners, who have made possible the effective implementation of the Nation-Army High Schools for Equity and Quality (LYNAQE). Through this synergy between the educational and military sectors, we affirm that Senegal’s future is built on unity, rigor, and faith in its youth. Additional LYNAQE will soon be established in the emerging territorial hubs. Ladies and Gentlemen, We have begun modernizing school infrastructure. Hundreds of schools will be equipped with adapted digital tools, and one hundred eighteen (118) Technological Innovation Hubs will be built across the country. These innovative spaces will offer our students opportunities to explore coding, robotics, digital manufacturing, and artificial intelligence applications. Furthermore, the deployment of digital equipment in schools will continue on a large scale, with the progressive distribution of hundreds of thousands of tablets and laptops. Digital kits, already operational in many districts, allow students, from primary school onward, to be introduced to programming languages and algorithmic thinking. In this spirit, and in line with our commitment to equitable, inclusive, and resilient development, I urge the relevant ministries to consider implementing, in the medium term, a national program to equip rural and peri-urban schools with solar-powered digital kits. Ladies and Gentlemen, The humanist transformation of education we are working toward cannot ignore the issues of regulation, sovereignty, and ethical responsibility tied to the widespread use of digital technologies and artificial intelligence in learning environments. While the promises of AI are numerous, there are potential risks: privacy violations, algorithmic reproduction of inequalities, or technological dependence on actors outside our continent. In the face of these risks, our duty is to protect the dignity, autonomy, and rights of learners while ensuring strategic control over our infrastructure, data, and technological choices. Finally, digital sovereignty relies on the local production of knowledge, tools, and analytical frameworks. To this end, the State will provide enhanced support to research laboratories in AI, educational technologies, and digital humanities based in our universities and centers of excellence. We must train and retain a generation of researchers, engineers, and critical thinkers capable of designing artificial intelligences that reflect our image—respectful of our values, balances, and deepest aspirations. By investing in national research and building a robust ethical regulatory framework, we lay the foundations for a fully embraced educational digital sovereignty, a prerequisite for a technological future rooted in our humanity. Dear Teachers, I address you with confidence and gratitude. You are, in our society, the mediators between the past and the future, the transmitters of knowledge, values, and discernment. More than ever, your role is essential in guiding our children in a world shaped by technologies, where truth, justice, and goodness become unstable benchmarks. I call upon you to cultivate, with rigor and humanity, critical thinking, and to guide our youth in a conscious, creative, and ethical appropriation of mathematics, science, technology, digital, and artificial intelligence. Dear Youth, Dear Laureates, You are the heirs of a rich intellectual tradition and the builders of tomorrow’s Senegal. You live in a world in transition, where opportunities are as numerous as the risks. But know this: the new world will not be shaped by those who passively consume and endure technologies but by those who invent, understand, appropriate, question, and humanize them. I invite you to embrace digital technology, make it your own, and use it as a tool to solve the problems we face, a lever for justice, freedom, and solidarity, while remaining rooted in our values and culture. Ladies and Gentlemen, I warmly thank the Minister of National Education and the Minister of Vocational and Technical Training for the quality of the organization of this ceremony, which reflects our State’s ongoing commitment to valuing academic excellence. I also extend my congratulations to the organizing committee, under the leadership of the Director of General Secondary Education, for their professionalism, rigor, and attention to detail, which have given this event its full solemnity and symbolic significance. Ladies and Gentlemen, In conclusion, I express my deep conviction in the intelligence and know-how of our youth, and I firmly believe in a standing, enlightened, and sovereign Africa. Long live the Senegalese school; Long live Senegal; Thank you for your attention.