Strengthening STEM in Comoros: Learning Visit to Senegal

From 2 to 8 March 2025, a delegation from the Union of the Comoros carried out a learning visit to Senegal to explore good practices in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education.  

An immersion in the heart of the Senegalese education system 

For a week, the Comorian delegation met with the Senegalese education authorities, visited several national structures and exchanged with education professionals. The mission began with a strategic scoping meeting at the Ministry of National Education of Senegal and concluded with a feedback session to identify future perspectives. 

The Secretary General of the Ministry of National Education of Senegal, Khady Diop Mbodj, testified to the diversity, complementarity and richness of the visits made by the delegation. 

Among the structures visited were: 

• The National Institute for the Study and Action for the Development of Education (INEADE), for the assessment of educational achievements  
• The Point E science and technology teaching block
• The Regional Centre for the Training of Education Personnel (CRFPE) of Dakar, to discuss the initial and in-service training of teaching staff  
• The National Centre for Educational and Vocational Guidance (CNOSP), for educational and vocational guidance
• The National Education Information and Management System, for the digitalization of pedagogical practices. 

Mr. Mouze Mogne Bakary, in charge of Monitoring and Evaluation of Basic Education Policy and Programs and Head of the Comoros delegation, testifies:  

"We have participated in practices of using technology at the level of science and technology blocks, these are things that have fascinated us and that have also pushed us to have new reflections on the strategies that we must then make available to the Ministry of National Education for the transformation and for the improvement of the quality of teaching through STEM learning." 

Rich exchanges around training, evaluation and innovation 

The members of the delegation were able to observe the concrete use of technologies in science education, as well as the training systems put in place for teaching staff. Discussions also focused on key themes such as gender equality in scientific fields. 

Towards enhanced cooperation 

At the end of the visit, the Comoros left with a renewed vision and concrete avenues to explore: adapting Senegalese systems to their own context, developing an action plan to strengthen STEM, and deepening collaboration with Senegalese institutions. 

"This learning visit was really very fruitful. We had exceptional support from the Ministry of Education, which accompanied us throughout this week to visit all the directorates that make up the Ministry of National Education and in particular those working in the field of STEM. (…) The Comorian delegation came to draw inspiration from Senegalese experience and expertise in this area. The objective was to come and collect tools and procedures that can also contribute to improving STEM education in the Comoros," 

explains Dr. Maïmouna Sissoko-Touré, Coordinator of the KIX Africa 21 hub. 

The mobilization of KIX Africa 21 partners was praised for facilitating these exchanges. Marie Gloriose Ingabire, Regional Director of IDRC's Bureau for Central and West Africa, reiterated the importance of this type of initiative for the circulation of successful innovations and for inspiring education policies:  

"We have just received the delegation from the Comoros which is focusing on the field of education. We had very interesting exchanges on the current needs in the field of education in the Comoros, but also on the opportunities offered by the exchanges supported by the GPE KIX program: exchanges between countries and exchanges with researchers to be able to inform about the practices and policies to be implemented." 

Relive this week of visits in video, by clicking here!