As AI tools become ubiquitous, many African countries are taking advantage to improve their education, economy, and much more. One such country is Mali where AI tools have been used to teach school children in the local languages. In parenthesis, this is happening while some African countries like Nigeria are moving away from teaching local languages in the curriculum; this is quite sad. Here, we are raising our hats to educators in Mali who are using AI to teach kids how to learn and write in local languages that they already speak at home with friends and family. The Education ministry is using the services of RobotsMali which has produced more than a hundred stories in Bambara, the most widely spoken local language.

Excerpts below are from Africanews. Enjoy!

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Since Mali adopted a new constitution in 2023, the country has 13 official languages. Although French is no longer part of that list, the language of the former coloniser is still present everywhere, including in classrooms.

Malian authorities hope artificial intelligence can change that by helping students learn to read and write in local languages they already speak with friends and family.

To achieve this goal, the Education ministry has called on RobotsMali. This AI company has produced more than a hundred stories in Bambara, the most widely spoken language in the country, for students to read in schools.

“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.”

AI programmes like ChatGPT and Leonardo are used to write, translate and illustrate the stories.

“Since the stories are also illustrated, it teaches [students] to make the connections between words and their meaning very quickly,” said RobotsMali Mamadou Dembele.

The organisation hopes to provide a solution to the lack of books in Malian languages.

… “Bambara is our language. We should prioritise it,” said 17-year-old student Fatoumata Sacko.

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