BAMAKO, Mali — In a groundbreaking effort to promote local languages and improve literacy, Mali has turned to artificial intelligence to teach students in schools using the country’s native tongues. Since adopting a new constitution in 2023, Mali recognizes 13 official languages, reflecting the nation’s rich linguistic diversity.
Although French, the former colonial language, remains widely used in classrooms, authorities aim to shift education toward languages spoken by students at home.
The Ministry of Education has partnered with RobotsMali, an AI company that has created over a hundred stories in Bambara, the most widely spoken language in Mali. These AI-generated stories are designed for reading practice, translation, and illustration, helping students quickly connect words to their meanings. Programs like ChatGPT and Leonardo are leveraged to develop and visualize the content.
“It helps me speak better with my friends. All of this is good,” said 13-year-old pupil Clarisse Yasségué Togo. “At school, we only speak French, but now I can learn in Bambara too.”
The initiative addresses a longstanding lack of educational materials in Malian languages. Previous attempts to replace French-language education with Bambara and other local languages have repeatedly failed due to limited resources and insufficient political will.
“Bambara is our language. We should prioritize it,” said 17-year-old student Fatoumata Sacko.
RobotsMali’s founder, Mamadou Dembele, highlighted the broader significance of the program. “It makes me proud to see our children learning with so much joy. This initiative is part of Mali’s effort to reclaim its cultural and linguistic identity, breaking free from the lasting influence of the former colonial power.”
The project comes against a backdrop of political changes following the military coups in 2020 and 2021, which reshaped Mali’s relationship with France. The AI-based educational program symbolizes a step toward linguistic empowerment and modernization, helping ensure that Mali’s students can learn in the languages they speak daily.
The initiative is part of a larger trend across Africa to incorporate technology in education while preserving local heritage. By integrating AI into classrooms, Mali hopes to improve literacy, engagement, and cultural pride among young learners.
