KOICA-Samsung Electronics Donate 650 Educational Smart Devices to Senegal Ministry of Education

Support for Senegal Ministry of Education's 'Remote Education Initiative' to Address COVID-19 Educational Gaps

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] KOICA, together with Samsung Electronics, donated a total of 650 smart devices, including 150 tablet PCs and 500 smartphones for remote education, to the Ministry of Education of Senegal on the morning of the 3rd (local time) as part of support for the 'Remote Education Initiative' to respond to the educational gap caused by the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic in Senegal.

The donation ceremony was jointly hosted by the KOICA Senegal office and Samsung Electronics Senegal branch, held at the Ministry of Education building located in Diamniadio, the administrative city of Senegal, with the attendance of Choi Won-seok, Ambassador to Senegal, Mamadou Talla, Minister of Education of Senegal, Lee Nam-soon, Head of KOICA Senegal office, and Jung Sung-won, Head of Samsung Electronics Senegal branch.

Since the first confirmed COVID-19 case in Senegal on March 2, the Ministry of Education issued a school closure order for all educational institutions including elementary, middle, high schools, and universities. Partial reopening of schools began on June 25 for grades advancing to higher education, and on September 1 for universities, but not all schools nationwide have resumed operations simultaneously.

The Ministry of Education of Senegal launched the 'Remote Education Initiative' from the early stages of the COVID-19 spread to strengthen access to basic education and normalize academic operations. In the short term, it plans phased implementation of remote education considering the digital gap between urban and rural areas and between rich and poor, and in the mid to long term, aims to alleviate the digital divide by providing digital learning devices and internet usage environments to establish remote education firmly in Senegal.

KOICA plans to use this support as an opportunity to expand promotion of Korea’s remote education experience during the COVID-19 situation and domestic education startups to the Ministry of Education of Senegal, international organizations, and donor agencies operating locally, thereby supporting Korean companies’ entry into the remote education market in Senegal.

At the donation ceremony, Ambassador Choi Won-seok said, “COVID-19 threatens not only daily life but also the continuity of education, but education must continue for the future,” and added, “I hope the joint support of KOICA and Samsung Electronics will serve as an opportunity to activate education in Senegal, especially remote learning for students, and ensure the continuity of education.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.