Education, a government priority
Modeled on the French system, Togo's education system comprises four levels: kindergarten-primary, middle school, high school and higher education. Once considered a model in the sub-region, it collapsed during the socio-economic crisis that hit Togo in the 1990s. However, since 2010, the country has made considerable efforts in this area, with a steadily rising enrolment rate, particularly at primary level, reaching 94.3% by 2021. This performance has been boosted by the introduction of free school fees, health insurance and school canteens. At primary level, the proportion of girls enrolled in school has risen considerably since 2015, even surpassing that of boys since 2018. While the primary school completion rate is 89% for all genders, it drops to 51% for middle school. In fact, only 24% of girls complete the ninth grade, compared with 45% of boys. At high school and university, this completion rate continues to fall drastically. What's more, when they leave school, few young graduates find a job commensurate with their level of training. Much remains to be done in the field of education, such as access to quality teacher training. According to World Bank data, only 75.7% of primary school teachers are trained. The Togolese government intends to pursue its efforts between now and 2030, by improving the quality of teaching and increasing school intake capacity.
The particularities of the Togolese society
The average household size is eight, but 30% of male-headed households have ten or more members. Family is often understood in a broader sense. Indeed, it's not uncommon for a brother to be simply a friend or neighbor from the same village or ethnic group. This is characteristic of the strong solidarity that exists between members of the same ethnic group. They also tend to group together in the same neighborhoods when they emigrate. The Agoe Nyiéve district of Lomé is known as the district of the Kabyè, who chose it because it was on the Kara-Lomé axis. Similarly, Muslims gather in neighborhoods called Zongo. Togolese people generally have several first names: a first name in their mother tongue, often linked to a particular event or birth, and a religious first name. Christianized names are usually old names that are becoming rare, such as Marie-Antoinette, Rosaline and so on. Some names are quite innovative: Bienvenu, Trésor, Lumière, Ange... Among the Éwé, there's a particularity: the first name is linked to the day of birth. Sometimes a noun is added: vi (small) or gan (big). Example: Kodjovi, or "Little Kodjo", Kodjo meaning "born on a Monday". In the case of male twins, the first names used are Atchou and Etché. For girls, Akoko and Akwelé. In the case of a boy and a girl, the boy is called Atchou and the girl Atchoupé. After the birth of twins, the next male child is named Edo, and if it's a girl, Dovi or Dope. If a child is born of the same sex as the previous ones, special first names are also used: the third boy will be called Mensah and the third girl Massa, the fourth boy Anani and the fourth girl Mana..
Marriage, a practice governed by religions and traditions
The most common marital status in Togo, marriage is the occasion for great festivities, the rituals of which differ according to religious and cultural affiliations. Women marry earlier than men: at around 17 in rural areas and 20 in urban areas, while men marry on average at around 25 in rural areas and 27 in urban areas. The dowry tradition is still very much alive, especially in the villages. The dowry is fixed by the in-laws and consists of a sum of money, drinks, loincloths and jewelry. The sum of money was originally given to the bride-to-be to start her business, but the tradition has been hijacked in favor of the in-laws. Traditionally, the future husband must go to his father-in-law's house, early in the morning, with two bottles of whisky and a bottle of sodabi, and declare that "if he's looking for his daughter, she's with him". The dowry is then fixed. On the wedding day, the families get together and an elder consecrates the marriage after a ceremony dedicated to the ancestors. Polygamy remains a common practice in Togo. 43% of women are polygamous, particularly in rural areas. The Central region (the most Islamized) has the highest polygamy rate (around 60%), followed by the Savanes and Kara regions.
The place of women in Togolese society
Women make up a significant proportion of the workforce: in rural areas, they concentrate their activities on preparing cereal-based drinks, baking, basketry, pottery and weaving. In urban areas, hairdressing and sewing are common female activities. Women are also very present in informal trade, where they play an important economic role. The role of women in agriculture is also noteworthy. 41% of women work in the subsistence farming sector, where they are responsible for agricultural processing and distribution. They have little access to resources such as land or capital goods. Access to land is governed by customary law, which is unfavorable to them: they do not inherit land, and have to make do with plots of land ceded to them by their fathers or husbands, over which they have only a right of use. It is estimated that only 10% of women have access to land. The lack of capital and access to credit are the root causes of the precarious nature of most income-generating activities.
