Dakar, Senegal – Former ECOWAS Parliamentarian Ibra Diouf has called on the ECOWAS Parliament to take a leading role in shaping a unified regional strategy for the integration of technology in education.
He emphasized that leveraging digital tools and innovation is essential for improving the quality and accessibility of education across West Africa.
Speaking on the third day of the ECOWAS Parliament Joint Committee’s delocalized meeting in Dakar, Diouf highlighted the potential of educational technology (EdTech) and artificial intelligence (AI) to transform learning systems in the region.
Technology as a Catalyst for Educational Reform
Diouf stressed that information and communication technology (ICT) must be viewed not just as a tool, but as a strategic asset in overhauling the region’s education sector. “By modernizing how we teach and learn, we can empower educators and learners, and close the digital divide that holds back our progress,” he said.
The meeting, which brings together members of committees on Education, Science and Culture, Health, Telecommunications, and Information Technology, focuses on ways to incorporate EdTech and AI into education policy across ECOWAS member states.
Call for Regional Collaboration and Research
During his presentation titled “The Role of the ECOWAS Parliament in Supporting EdTech and Innovation,” Diouf proposed a comprehensive regional study to examine how digital tools are being introduced at all levels of education—from early childhood to tertiary institutions. He argued that such research should inform future policies and guide the design of teacher training programs, curricula, and support systems for learners.
“It’s time for ECOWAS to champion a coordinated response to digital education,” Diouf noted. “This includes investing in teacher capacity-building, updating training models, and creating support mechanisms that can be shared across borders.”
Key Recommendations to ECOWAS Parliament
Diouf outlined several strategic actions for the Parliament:
- Develop a harmonized framework for integrating EdTech into national education systems.
- Standardize teacher training programs and learning materials across the region.
Promote research partnerships and encourage innovation within the education sector
Trokon S. Wrepue is a Liberian journalist with 9 years of experience in the practice of journalism. Over the years, Trokon has reported on women and children issues, investigated public and private sectors corruption, environmental challenges and other critical human interest stories. He is currently the Editor of News for OK FM, one of Liberia’s premier media institutions in Monrovia. Besides being a journalist, Trokon is also a Mandela Washington Fellow. In 2022, he travelled to California in the US where he studied leadership, culture and diversities at the California State University. In 2023, he travelled to Johannesburg in South Africa and attended the Mandela Washington Fellowship Symposium of Young African Leaders.
