Digitalizing Basic Education: Stakeholders Map out Strategies

Basic education stakeholders in the Littoral Region on Tuesday May 12 took part in a one-day symposium focused on the digital transformation of Cameroon’s primary education sector. The event was organized by the technology firm Yakili in partnership with the National Syndicate of Founders of Secular Private Education and Vocational Training Centres (SYNFEPLC) in collaboration with the Directorate of taxation, the Douala City Council was aimed to bridge the gap between traditional teaching methods and modern digital pedagogy. Participants at the symposium emphasized that digitalization is not only about hardware, it is also about changing how children learn. Representatives from Yakili explained that the initiative targets the roots, the foundation of education. Instead of traditional route memorization, Yakili’s platform uses animated visual content to help students visualize complex concepts. For example, rather than only reading about biology, students can watch animations showing how oxygen flows through the body or how a plant grows from a seed. The Public Relations Officer of Yakili, Massoh Anaëlle, said that “We want our children to understand what they see, not just memorize what they hear. Our tools illustrate the analogue curriculum in a digital way, making it easier for a child in a village school to grasp lessons that were once abstract”. She said the Yakili mobile application enables students to access animated lessons, interact with teachers and continue learning even when physical classroom attendance is disrupted. “When students see and visualise what they are being taught, they understand concepts bette...