Senegalese students found themselves at the heart of deadly unrest in the West African country this month, venting long-simmering anger at poor living standards and bleak employment prospects.&nbsp;

Usually seen as a haven of stability in a volatile part of the world, Senegal was rocked by days of clashes between opposition supporters and police in early March.&nbsp;&nbsp;

At least five people were killed in the nationwide unrest -- although the opposition cites a higher death toll -- which was sparked by the arrest of opposition leader Ousmane Sonko, a government critic popular with young Senegalese.&nbsp;

In the seaside capital Dakar, violent clashes broke out on university campuses the day after the arrest, with hundreds of angry students hurling cinder blocks at riot police.&nbsp;

Some of the youngsters were Sonko supporters, but others interviewed by AFP said they were fed up with deficient teaching and a lack of jobs in the poor nation of 16 million people.

Lecturers often fail to show up, they said, while lecture halls and student housing are packed.&nbsp;

Employment prospects are also dire: Some 300,000 students graduate every year, according to Senegal's association for unemployed graduates, of whom only about 100,000 find work.&nbsp;

"It's all this accumulated frustration that boiled over," said Ndeye Fatou Ndoye, a 19-year-old management student, in Dakar.&nbsp;

"Young people died here for democracy," she added. "We want to be free".

Police arrested Sonko, a 46-year old devout Muslim, on March 3, after his supporters clashed with police as he made his way to a court appearance to face a separate charge of rape.

An employee at a beauty salon where he received massages accused him of rape the previous month, a charge he denies.

He was charged with disturbing the peace during the clashes on the way to the courthouse, and his arrest triggered the week of violence.

But to Senegalese opposition supporters, Sonko's legal troubles fit a perceived pattern of court cases against opponents of President Macky Sall.&nbsp;

Protests following his arrest only abated on March 8 when a judge in Dakar released the opposition leader.&nbsp;

The judge also formally charged Sonko with rape, opening the possibility of a further investigation.

- Missed classes -

Not all students are staunch Sonko supporters, but many identify with his message of change, and his criticism of Senegal's governing elite.

Diame Faye, a coordinator for Sonko's Pastef party in Dakar's prestigious Cheikh Anta Diop university (UCAD), told AFP student protesters had come from all political backgrounds.

"Young people are fed up," he said, explaining that Sonko understood their struggles.&nbsp;&nbsp;

In addition to longstanding concerns about employment, coronavirus restrictions also fired up student frustrations.&nbsp;

UCAD, for example, shut for six months from last March in a bid to curb infections.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The move wreaked havoc on the academic calendar. Teaching began again in September, but the university has struggled to make up for missed classes.

Several&nbsp;students told AFP that many overstretched professors simply don't turn up to classes.&nbsp;

"We're used to it now. In these cases, we revise and try to move forward alone, as best we can," said Coumbar, a second-year student.&nbsp;

"I'm not even sure we'll be able to finish the degree," she added, noting that finding a job afterwards was unlikely anyway.

- 'Make Senegal great again' -

Despite student troubles, some remain government supporters.&nbsp;

Cheickh Mbaba Diop, a student member of Macky Sall's party, said that the president had tried to improve young people's lives but that the pandemic had "complicated things."

Last week, Sall said in a televised address that he understood young people's concerns, although he admitted that efforts to create jobs were "still insufficient".&nbsp;

Ibrahima, an English student at UCAD, told AFP that the poor job market, among other issues, meant students were well disposed towards Sonko.&nbsp;

The opposition leader is considered a strong contender to replace Sall in 2024 -- and is a vocal critic of perceived foreign economic exploitation in Senegal, especially from the former colonial power France.

Ibrahima likened Sonko's appeal to that of former US president Donald Trump: "It's a bit like Trump said: 'Make Senegal Great Again.'"

Senegalese students found themselves at the heart of deadly unrest in the West African country this month, venting long-simmering anger at poor living standards and bleak employment prospects.

Senegalese students found themselves at the heart of deadly unrest in the West African country this month, venting long-simmering anger at poor living standards and bleak employment prospects. Usually seen as a haven of stability in a volatile part of the world, Senegal was rocked by days of clashes between opposition supporters and police in early March. At least five people were killed in the nationwide unrest -- although the opposition cites a higher death toll -- which was sparked by the arrest of opposition leader Ousmane Sonko, a government critic popular with young Senegalese. In the seaside capital Dakar, violent clashes broke out on university campuses the day after the arrest, with hundreds of angry students hurling cinder blocks at riot police. Some of the youngsters were Sonko supporters, but others interviewed by AFP said they were fed up with deficient teaching and a lack of jobs in the poor nation of 16 million people. Lecturers often fail to show up, they said, while lecture halls and student housing are packed. Employment prospects are also dire: Some 300,000 students graduate every year, according to Senegal's association for unemployed graduates, of whom only about 100,000 find work. "It's all this accumulated frustration that boiled over," said Ndeye Fatou Ndoye, a 19-year-old management student, in Dakar. "Young people died here for democracy," she added. "We want to be free". Police arrested Sonko, a 46-year old devout Muslim, on March 3, after his supporters clashed with police as he made his way to a court appearance to face a separate charge of rape. An employee at a beauty salon where he received massages accused him of rape the previous month, a charge he denies. He was charged with disturbing the peace during the clashes on the way to the courthouse, and his arrest triggered the week of violence. But to Senegalese opposition supporters, Sonko's legal troubles fit a perceived pattern of court cases against opponents of President Macky Sall. Protests following his arrest only abated on March 8 when a judge in Dakar released the opposition leader. The judge also formally charged Sonko with rape, opening the possibility of a further investigation. - Missed classes - Not all students are staunch Sonko supporters, but many identify with his message of change, and his criticism of Senegal's governing elite. Diame Faye, a coordinator for Sonko's Pastef party in Dakar's prestigious Cheikh Anta Diop university (UCAD), told AFP student protesters had come from all political backgrounds. "Young people are fed up," he said, explaining that Sonko understood their struggles. In addition to longstanding concerns about employment, coronavirus restrictions also fired up student frustrations. UCAD, for example, shut for six months from last March in a bid to curb infections. The move wreaked havoc on the academic calendar. Teaching began again in September, but the university has struggled to make up for missed classes. Several students told AFP that many overstretched professors simply don't turn up to classes. "We're used to it now. In these cases, we revise and try to move forward alone, as best we can," said Coumbar, a second-year student. "I'm not even sure we'll be able to finish the degree," she added, noting that finding a job afterwards was unlikely anyway. - 'Make Senegal great again' - Despite student troubles, some remain government supporters. Cheickh Mbaba Diop, a student member of Macky Sall's party, said that the president had tried to improve young people's lives but that the pandemic had "complicated things." Last week, Sall said in a televised address that he understood young people's concerns, although he admitted that efforts to create jobs were "still insufficient". Ibrahima, an English student at UCAD, told AFP that the poor job market, among other issues, meant students were well disposed towards Sonko. The opposition leader is considered a strong contender to replace Sall in 2024 -- and is a vocal critic of perceived foreign economic exploitation in Senegal, especially from the former colonial power France. Ibrahima likened Sonko's appeal to that of former US president Donald Trump: "It's a bit like Trump said: 'Make Senegal Great Again.'"

Facing bleak future, Senegalese students turn against the government

Hunched over her laptop, eyes locked on the screen, Mari?me Seye listens to the step-by-step instructions given by her teacher. 
 
The eighteen-year-old, however, isn&#39;t studying math or history. With 24 other Senegalese students, she is learning to develop a mobile app to raise awareness about the environment. 
 
In small groups, the students develop apps focusing on environmental issues, in the format of their choice, such as a game, quiz or a platform to look up potentially unfamiliar terms, such as &quot;endangered species&quot;. 
 
Seye has called her app &quot;Weer Weeld?&quot;, which means &quot;a healthy planet for a healthy life&quot; in Wolof. 
 
Users must choose which between four pictures, for example, a person drinking dirty water, another smoking, industrial fumes and people planting trees, to pick what represents the most positive contribution to the planet. 
 
Choosing the correct image, in this case, tree planting, rewards the user with points, before all pictures appear with a caption explaining the dangers or benefits linked to the activities. 
 
&quot;I&#39;m interested in developing a phone app because I use them all the time,&quot; Seye told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. 
 
The three-day workshop, organised by the Goethe Institute and mJangale, a Senegalese after-school programme, aims to improve students&#39; literacy, numeracy, and foreign language skills. 
 
Christelle Scharff, co-founder of mJangale and professor of computer science at Pace University in New York, teaches participants to use MIT App Inventor, a drag-and-drop tool allowing users to create a basic phone app. 
 
The students follow her every click on a computer screen projected on the wall. 
 
&quot;The goal is to introduce young people to computing, as well as to make them more knowledgeable about the environment,&quot; Scharff explained, walking between the groups to check their progress. 
 
&quot;So it&#39;s applying computing to something. We didn&#39;t want kids to just develop an app, but also to gain knowledge in another area.&quot; 
 
The Android apps will be made available on Google Play, where they can be downloaded for free. 
 
Idriss Sall Diop, 18, just passed his baccalaureate. &quot;This is totally new to me, I&#39;ve never studied IT and just started using computers,&quot; he admitted from his front-row seat. 
 
&quot;Young people are interested in social media but not necessarily in the environment,&quot; he added. &quot;I think these apps are a way around that, we&#39;re always keen to learn about new things.&quot; 
 
Adja Aissatou Sy, communication&nbsp;manager at Senegal&#39;s Ministry of Environment, said at the workshop that teenagers have limited awareness when it comes to environmental issues. 
 
&quot;Mobile apps are a good way to share information and broaden young people&#39;s knowledge on this topic,&quot; she explained. 
 
The African continent has been slow to adopt digital technologies in education, according to Thierry Zomahoun, chairperson of the Next Einstein Forum, a conference to advance science innovation in Africa. The first conference was held in Dakar in March. 
 
He believes more advanced equipment in schools, from computers to scientific laboratories, will broaden students&#39; horizon and better prepare them for the job market. 
 
&quot;We can&#39;t just stand idle while there are more African engineers in the US than there are on the African continent, we need to reverse that trend,&quot; he said at the conference. 
 
Scharff added that &quot;as big consumers of technology, Facebook, and all these tools, young people can also contribute to tons of solutions here in Senegal.&quot; 
 
According to Senegal&#39;s Telecoms Regulation Authority report released in March, the country&#39;s mobile phone penetration rate reached 113.7 per cent in the first quarter of 2016, which can be explained by the fact that some mobile users hold several SIM cards. 
 
Sy agrees that the youth need a context in which to create a link with the environment. 
 
&quot;For example, there doesn&#39;t exist, as far as I know, an app that focuses on biodiversity in Senegal,&quot; she said. 
 
&quot;I would like to see a game on identifying our endangered species, like chimpanzees or panthers, and asking questions that would empower young people to protect their environment.&quot; 
 
(Reuters)

A three-day after school programme in Senegal is teaching students how to develop an app to raise awareness about the environment

Hunched over her laptop, eyes locked on the screen, Mari?me Seye listens to the step-by-step instructions given by her teacher. The eighteen-year-old, however, isn't studying math or history. With 24 other Senegalese students, she is learning to develop a mobile app to raise awareness about the environment. In small groups, the students develop apps focusing on environmental issues, in the format of their choice, such as a game, quiz or a platform to look up potentially unfamiliar terms, such as "endangered species". Seye has called her app "Weer Weeld?", which means "a healthy planet for a healthy life" in Wolof. Users must choose which between four pictures, for example, a person drinking dirty water, another smoking, industrial fumes and people planting trees, to pick what represents the most positive contribution to the planet. Choosing the correct image, in this case, tree planting, rewards the user with points, before all pictures appear with a caption explaining the dangers or benefits linked to the activities. "I'm interested in developing a phone app because I use them all the time," Seye told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. The three-day workshop, organised by the Goethe Institute and mJangale, a Senegalese after-school programme, aims to improve students' literacy, numeracy, and foreign language skills. Christelle Scharff, co-founder of mJangale and professor of computer science at Pace University in New York, teaches participants to use MIT App Inventor, a drag-and-drop tool allowing users to create a basic phone app. The students follow her every click on a computer screen projected on the wall. "The goal is to introduce young people to computing, as well as to make them more knowledgeable about the environment," Scharff explained, walking between the groups to check their progress. "So it's applying computing to something. We didn't want kids to just develop an app, but also to gain knowledge in another area." The Android apps will be made available on Google Play, where they can be downloaded for free. Idriss Sall Diop, 18, just passed his baccalaureate. "This is totally new to me, I've never studied IT and just started using computers," he admitted from his front-row seat. "Young people are interested in social media but not necessarily in the environment," he added. "I think these apps are a way around that, we're always keen to learn about new things." Adja Aissatou Sy, communication manager at Senegal's Ministry of Environment, said at the workshop that teenagers have limited awareness when it comes to environmental issues. "Mobile apps are a good way to share information and broaden young people's knowledge on this topic," she explained. The African continent has been slow to adopt digital technologies in education, according to Thierry Zomahoun, chairperson of the Next Einstein Forum, a conference to advance science innovation in Africa. The first conference was held in Dakar in March. He believes more advanced equipment in schools, from computers to scientific laboratories, will broaden students' horizon and better prepare them for the job market. "We can't just stand idle while there are more African engineers in the US than there are on the African continent, we need to reverse that trend," he said at the conference. Scharff added that "as big consumers of technology, Facebook, and all these tools, young people can also contribute to tons of solutions here in Senegal." According to Senegal's Telecoms Regulation Authority report released in March, the country's mobile phone penetration rate reached 113.7 per cent in the first quarter of 2016, which can be explained by the fact that some mobile users hold several SIM cards. Sy agrees that the youth need a context in which to create a link with the environment. "For example, there doesn't exist, as far as I know, an app that focuses on biodiversity in Senegal," she said. "I would like to see a game on identifying our endangered species, like chimpanzees or panthers, and asking questions that would empower young people to protect their environment." (Reuters)

Protecting the environment in Senegal? There's an app for that

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Facing bleak future, Senegalese students turn against the government

Protecting the environment in Senegal? There's an app for that