A promising future for education in Senegal: tackling the teacher shortage
Faced with a serious shortage of teachers in the country, Senegalese education unions affiliated to Education International, grouped within the Union Syndicale pour une Éducation de Qualité (USEQ) – a trade union coalition for quality education – welcomes the government’s decision to recruit graduates into the profession on an immediate and as-needed basis and to increase the pay scale in public education. Challenges nonetheless remain in Senegal’s national education system, such as the need to provide access for the 1.5 million children not in school.
An alarming shortfall
Senegal’s education sector is facing a major challenge, with a shortage of 6,529 teachers, according to the figures provided by the authorities. This shortfall includes 4,313 teachers needed at pre-school and primary school level, and 2,216 at secondary level. USEQ coordinator Abdourahmane Gueye stressed the importance of having enough teachers to ensure quality education: “To be able to speak of quality education, it is absolutely imperative that we first have a sufficient number of teachers.”

The government’s response
To address this pressing need, the Senegalese government has set up a special recruitment programme, which will enable the hiring of 1,200 secondary school teachers and 2,000 pre-school and primary school teachers. Despite these efforts, the numbers recruited will still be insufficient, leaving a shortage of 1,329 teachers. “Special recruitment is a step in the right direction, but it’s not enough to fully offset the shortfall,” explained Gueye.

Concerns and solutions
While concerns have been expressed about this special recruitment process, including the risk of political recruitment and the lack of consultation with trade unions, Gueye welcomed the fact that the unions had managed to produce a circular setting out the conditions for recruitment, the documentation to be provided and the application procedures, to ensure that the process is as transparent as possible.

A major financial commitment
Senegal has made significant financial commitments to education, devoting 7.30% of its GDP and 26% of its operating budget to the sector, exceeding the international criteria of 6% of GDP and 20% of public spending. Thanks in particular to the advocacy work done by the unions within the USEQ, the education budget has been increased, enabling the recruitment of 4,000 additional teachers for the coming year. “Despite these efforts, challenges remain, such as the teacher shortage and access to education for all children,” commented the USEQ coordinator.
Ensuring access to education
Access to education is another major concern, with 1.5 million children in Senegal not attending school as a result of the shortage of places and teachers. For Gueye, “Even with significant budgetary efforts, the problem of access to education persists. It is crucial that we continue to work to ensure that every child has access to quality education.”
The attractiveness of the teaching profession
Despite the challenges, the teaching profession continues to be an attractive option in Senegal, with 106,000 people applying for special recruitment. Gueye attributes this to the pay rises secured in 2022, which have made the profession more attractive.

Ongoing training
In-service training for newly recruited teachers is another priority. The government has committed to support teachers throughout their careers to improve their skills and performance. “There is a lack of ongoing training, which has an impact on teachers’ professional awareness. Additional efforts are needed to fill this gap,” said Gueye.
Support from parents and strong union involvement
The National Alliance for Education (ANE), which includes parents’ associations, NGOs and trade unions (including those within the USEQ), has set itself the goal of raising the government’s awareness of the importance of education and mobilising the stakeholders to improve the education system. The alliance is tasked with analysing the situation and proposing strategies for national funding and more efficient management of education resources.

Support and unionisation
The unions are also planning initiatives to recruit and support new teachers by organising training and providing logistical support to help them settle in and succeed in their careers. “We help new teachers by finding them accommodation and supporting them during their initial training, to contribute to their integration and success,” added Gueye.
“Go Public! Fund Education” campaign
The recent developments in education in Senegal tie in with Education International’s “Go Public! Fund Education” campaign. Aimed at promoting quality public education for all and supporting the teaching profession, the campaign emphasises the importance of public investment and cooperation between the stakeholders to strengthen education systems. “Together, we can ensure a better future for our children,” concluded Gueye.