“Strengthen the digital skills of students” and “develop the use of digital tools for their success”. Here is objectives set by the government. This Friday, January 27, during a trip to Vienne, the Minister of National Education and Youth Pap Ndiaye presented his vision of digital for school, college and high school.
This digital strategy plans to develop the “digital citizenship” of students throughout their schooling, detailed the ministry in a press release. For this, all middle school students, and a majority of students in elementary school and high school, will have to benefit each year by 2027 from a media and information education action (EMI) , in the form of participation in press week, web radio or media workshops.
In addition, in order to strengthen the digital skills of students in middle school, all students in the 6th grade should be made aware of the proper use of digital tools and social networks, and the risks associated with the latter. A digital awareness certificate in 6e (Pix 6e) will be generalized at the start of the 2024 school year, with a specific section on cybersecurity and the prevention of cyberbullying.
Coding skills for middle school students
Strengthening digital skills will also be one of the priorities in 5th, 4th and 3rd grades, with the aim of enabling students to understand and know how to use digital tools (algorithms, artificial intelligence, programming, etc.) and to have first coding skills, from the start of the 2024 school year, promises the ministry.
The discovery of professions, from 5th to 3rd, will give a special place to digital professions and the transformation of other sectors under the effect of digital technology, he explains.
Finally, in the general and technological high school, the minister wants to make training leading to studies or digital professions more attractive, and to strive for parity in these training courses, “where girls are very clearly under-represented”, recalls the ministry. To this end, actions will be taken to promote science and digital technology.
At the vocational school, the objective will be to accelerate the creation and modernization of diplomas (such as the new “cybersecurity, computer science and electronic networks” baccalaureate) and the overhaul of the training map.
“Most of our students will have a job transformed by digital technology”
A process will also be carried out to facilitate access to digital tools and resources for teachers, and to better train and support them. The new trainee teachers will in particular pass a certification of their digital skills and will be offered training if they do not have the required level.
In addition, at school, as part of the Mathematics Plan, “teachers will be more trained in algorithms and programming without a screen” in order “to enable them to better introduce students to digital skills”, explains the ministry. education.
“Digital technology is transforming all sectors of the economy: most of our students will work in a profession transformed by digital technology”, specifies the press release from the ministry. Above all, our country has and will increasingly need digital professionals. It is a central issue for economic growth, innovation and, being a highly strategic area, the sovereignty of our country.”