ESSAOUIRA, MOROCCO — A panel discussion on the “issues and opportunities of digital education” took center stage at the ‘Seeds for the Future’ regional forum in Essaouira, Morocco. The event, which ran from July 3 to 8, 2024, and was spearheaded by Huawei Northern Africa, drew notable experts to explore the transformative impact of digital technologies on education.

According to Burkina Information Agency, the panel featured insights from Dr. Pousséni Bakouan of the office of the Minister of Digital Transition of Burkina Faso, among other experts. Discussions revolved around the role of digital education in modernizing existing educational systems and the main benefits and challenges of this shift. Dr. Bakouan highlighted several initiatives by the Burkinabe government aimed at enhancing digital access and education quality, such as the deployment of free Wi-Fi networks across public higher education institutions and the ‘one student, one computer’ program.

Further details from the forum reveal that these measures are part of a broader effort to integrate digital technologies into educational settings. Dr. Bakouan also discussed the creation of the Virtual University in Burkina Faso, which focuses on educational and research missions to produce innovative digital content and promote ICT integration in teaching.

The panel underscored the critical nature of these developments in fostering inclusive access to learning and contributing to sustainable development and social inclusion. The speakers, including UNESCO’s Mourad Bentahar and other dignitaries from Mauritania and Guinea, commended the Burkinabe authorities’ commitment to ensuring equitable access to quality education through digital means.