• Guinea to connect 2,200 public schools to internet by 2026

• Project part of GIGA initiative; 1M+ children to benefit

• Officials say program will boost access, equity, and transparency in education

The Guinean government officially launched an initiative on Wednesday, Nov. 5, to connect 2,200 public primary schools to the internet by the end of 2026.

The project is part of the global GIGA initiative, led by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and UNICEF. So far, about 600 schools nationwide have already received the equipment needed for reliable connectivity. The government aims to connect 1,000 schools by the end of 2025, a move expected to benefit more than one million children. Officials say the project will eventually allow every teacher, student, and stakeholder in education to access online learning resources.

Driving Digital Equity in Education

Jean Paul Cédy, Minister of Pre-University Education and Literacy, said connecting schools represents a major step toward digital equity and global outreach in national education. He emphasized that the initiative will help address the teacher shortage, empower Guinean children to participate in the digital world, and keep them connected to global trends.

“The teacher of yesterday will not necessarily be the teacher of tomorrow: they will be able to evolve, train, and transform,” the minister said.

The connectivity program is part of a broader digital transformation of Guinea’s education system. For instance, the Simandou Academy under the Simandou 2040 program aims to provide quality, inclusive, and innovation-driven education. A digital roadmap established in 2021 seeks to integrate Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), which “offer vast potential and endless possibilities for transforming education.”

Expanding Access and Transparency

Former Education Minister Mamadou Alpha Bano Barry previously noted the educational benefits of the initiative. He said digitalization would serve as a learning tool by integrating textbooks, lessons, homework, and grades for all students nationwide. It will also make it possible to create discussion groups across disciplines and virtual meeting spaces connecting Guinean students with peers across the sub-region, Africa, and beyond.

Barry added that the program would enhance transparency, allowing parents to access their children’s classrooms virtually and view grades, homework, and marked assignments.

Isaac K. Kassouwi