Last updated on 12 May 2026
This is the challenge of the national call for projects that the government has just launched to support the widespread use of digital education for all elementary and primary schools (cycles 2 and 3). No less than €105 million will be mobilised by the government to help cities equip schools that have not reached the Basic Digital Pillar.
An opportunity to seize. Projects must be submitted by 31 March and will be considered in order of arrival.
Time is running out but solutions exist to support cities in this process and offer solutions tailored to the needs of each school.
We'll come back to it.
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Basic digital base. What are we talking about?
The lockdown last March showed France’s delay in school IT equipment. The health crisis has also highlighted the large disparities that exist between municipalities at this level.
The recovery plan presented by the Government by contributing to the generalization of digital education with this basic digital base should in fact reduce school inequalities and participate in the fight against the digital divide.
All studies show this: digital technology improves learning. What are we talking about when we talk about a basic digital base?
The Ministry of National Education defines it as follows: “The basic digital base for the 1st degree offers a repository of equipment in the classroom and can be shared within the school, as well as that conditions for access to services and resources numeric within a framework of trust.”
In other words, the equipment is concerned (computer equipment for schools, interactive digital screens, hybrid tablets for the mobile classroom, storage and charging carts, … equipment management tools). This also applies to digital resources (digital learning platforms, or ITS, which host the resources of several publishers). For fundamentals, such as mathematics and French, they make it possible to individualise learning by offering different exercises depending on students’ performance. *See the recent study by a CNRS laboratory on the use of Tactileo TSI.
Last investment that can be supported by the government's recovery plan, the training part. We know how important it is to the success of digital transformation projects.
What does the “basic digital base” catch-up plan support?
As part of the recovery plan, the state is supporting municipalities to upgrade the digital equipment of their schools by financing up to 70% digital equipment, resources at 50%. This is an unprecedented plan with more than €100 million in grants. The file to be submitted for State aid is very simple.
How can I be accompanied to respond to the government’s call for projects?
Regardless of the size of the municipality, you do not necessarily need to be a great specialist to choose the right solutions for your schools. Teachers remain, of course, excellent advisers. In addition, several major digital education operators have had the good idea of forming a consortium to support you in responding to the government’s call for projects. They offer a complete offer easy to set up but also tailor-made solutions according to your needs. They set up a site, Basic digital base, particularly comprehensive on the government’s call for projects.
A grouping of the major operators in digital education
The group brings together the offers and specialists of HP for Digital Hybrid Tablets, Microsoft for the accessible and secure software environment. Idruid for mobile class management. Promethean for interactive display, Tablett Académy for handling the whole solution, Maskott specialist in digital transformation in education and author of Tactileo TSI.
The resources component is one of the essential elements of this plan. Several publishers including Belin and Cabrilog offer their content on Tactileo. PRIMO Belin is made up of interactive exercises, from CP to CM2, in French and Mathematics, in line with school curricula, modifiable and adaptable with Tactileo .123 Cabri is a collection of mathematics with dedicated tools for mathematics. Primo Belin, A23 Cabri is the essential and indispensable support package for teachers, based on the pedagogical expertise of these publishers and Tactileo’s recognised technology..
Find all their offers on www.base-digital-de-base.fr.
To go further:
*The CNRS Lapsco laboratory led by Pascal Huguet, conducted a research project involving 8000 students, 250 teachers, on 8 disciplines to analyze whether we learn better with digital technology.
The project consisted in testing the use of the Tactileo TSI, in control groups during 6 weeks of lessons, in comparison with control groups that deal with the concepts in the usual way. The results obtained by Labsco speak for themselves: there is a learning gain in all groups. Everyone benefits, but the effect is even stronger for students with a good working memory. There is a real benefit for the most disadvantaged students says Pascal Huguet who led the research project.
The Tactileo Platform The study is available free of charge to all French schools, public or private, from school to high school, thanks to the BNRE (Banque de Ressources Numériques pour l’Education) offered by the Ministry of National Education, Youth and Sport. The platform hosts many contents in Sciences, Italian, German, Ancient Languages, French Foreign Languages…
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