Togo

Togo

Modern-day Togo, along the West African littoral, shares borders with three other countries. In the latter part of the 19th Century, ‘Togoland’ – as it was then known – was a German protectorate relying on forced labour to cultivate cotton, cocoa and coffee. Stewardship of the country was eventually handed to Great Britain and France in the wake of WWI. In 1960, Togo gained independence from France. Starting in 1967, the country was ruled by Gnassingbé Eyadéma until his demise and the succession of his son in 2005. Today, Togo is one of the world’s largest producers of phosphates and a transit point for poached ivory from the region.

Main Barriers to Education

Poverty
Lack of Schools & Sanitation Facilities
Lack of Inclusive Educational Settings
Discrimination

Interventions to barriers

Teacher Training
MOE Capacity Building
Policy Advocacy
Community Engagement

Though political and civil unrest has at times hindered the development of Togo’s education sector, the government has elaborated strategies to increase access and quality. To that end, the Togolese Government has produced a 2014 education sector reform plan, focusing on achieving universal primary education by 2022; extending preschool coverage in rural and poorer locales; developing the second cycle of quality secondary, technical, vocational and higher education courses; and reducing the illiteracy rate.

Despite efforts on the part of the government to improve the country’s education system and some bright spots (primary-completion rates have been on a noticeable uptick since 2009 and public expenditure on education is on the rise), Togo still faces challenges. For instance, after an initial increase in primary education enrolment rates, those figures have begun to slide. Furthermore, the percentage of trained primary-level teachers has started to decline and the student/teacher ratio has hovered around approximately 40:1 since 2008.

In support of some of the country’s most marginalised OOSC, EAC has partnered with Handicap International (HI) to increase access to quality primary education. This partner project seeks to cultivate inclusive education settings that respond to the needs of all children, particularly those with disabilities, by establishing multi-sector care and bridge mechanisms within mainstream schools. In addition, HI will train relevant MOE staff on the design/implementation of inclusive education for systemic impact.

Geographic Location: West Africa

Languages: French (official), Dagomba, Ewe, Kabye and Mina

Year added:

2012

Projects

Towards a Universal Access for Vulnerable Girls and Boys to a Quality Primary Education

In developing countries, disability tends to be linked with poverty and hinders access to education. It is estimated that 90 per cent of children with disabilities (CwDs) are not schooled. According to UNICEF reporting being identified as disabled has a significant influence on the likelihood of education exclusion in West and Central Africa.

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Partners

Handicap International

In partnership with EAC, Handicap International aims to reach more than 28,000 out of school children (OOSC) of primary age with disabilities across ten sub-Saharan African countries.