ARED has been supporting the State of Senegal for several years in its quest for quality education, particularly in the integration of national languages and structured pedagogy as learning vectors. With the support of partners such as The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, Dubai Cares, Echidna Giving and the Gates Foundation, ARED has designed and implemented an innovative bilingual teaching model, now recognized for its effectiveness and potential for expansion.
This model is based on the simultaneous use of a language known to the students and French from the very first years of schooling. In contrast to traditional "deferred bilingualism" approaches, ARED advocates a "real-time bilingualism" approach: the student's first language is introduced in addition to oral French from the first year for all core subjects. This method facilitates learning, improves comprehension and reinforces skills in reading, mathematics and ESVS.
ARED's model, with contributions from other partners, became the basis for the Harmonized Model of Bilingual Education in Senegal (the MOHEBS). The MOHEBS has been technically and politically validated by the French Ministry of Education, and is set to be extended on a larger scale, both geographically and linguistically. For the start of the 2025-26 academic year, MOHEBS will be implemented, at least for the Language and Communication discipline, in 12/14 Senegalese regions.
As part of this program, ARED has developed a substantial set of educational resources: X manuals and X teachers' guides, as well as over 50 children's book titles in eight national languages and French, to support the work of teachers of pupils and ensure effective learning.
ARED's originality also lies in its partnership approach, mobilizing ministries, educational institutions and technical partners around a common ambition: to strengthen the place of African languages in education and introduce effective approaches to teaching to sustainably improve the quality of learning.
The MOHEBS is now fully integrated into national strategic frameworks such as the Programme d'Amélioration de la Qualité, de l'Équité et de la Transparence de l'Education et de la Formation (PAQUET-EF), actively contributing to Senegal's public policy of pedagogical innovation.
Its close partnership with the French Ministry of Education, validated by an official circular letter since 2011This was an unprecedented recognition for a civil society initiative.
ARED pursues its commitment by working closely with national departments such as DEE, DALN, INEADE, CNRE, DPRE, DFC, as well as with Inspections d'Académie (IA) and Inspections de l'Éducation et de la Formation (IEF) in all regions of the country.
