Ei-iE

Teacher trade unionists in Togo have welcomed measures announced by the public authorities to support primary and secondary education, acknowledging that education is the cornerstone of a more just society and the country's development.

Teachers in Togo have returned to work after repeated strikes in response to new measures announced by the government to change and improve education. The call to return to work was made by the Fédération des syndicats de l'éducation nationale(FESEN), an Education International (EI) affiliate, and the Coordination of Education Unions of Togo (Coordination des syndicats de l'éducation du Togo). The call follows the series of measures providing for broad changes and improvements to education announced by the government on 17 March.

Dialogue

The new measures address the future of education in Togo, through changes in teacher training, school infrastructure, educational facilities and the management of the education system. They were arrived after broad dialogue between the Minister of Civil Service, representatives from primary and secondary education and vocational training, and other stakeholders, including the teachers' and parents' unions.

These measures include the recruitment of 1,500 to 2,000 teachers and support staff per year over the next five years, renovation and reconstruction of schools, and an increase in grants for teaching and learning materials and tools for schools.

The government also decided to double the teachers' incentive premium, which will be paid before the adoption and implementation of the specific status expected at the start of the next school year, on 1 April 2017.

Professionalisation

To underpin the professionalisation of teachers, the authorities will create training courses in the universities of Lomé and Kara, and increase the resources granted to the National Higher Education College ( Ecole Nationale Supérieure) in Atakpamé.

Almost all contract teachers, 12,747 in total, were integrated into the civil service, and their first wages will be paid on 1 April.

Dialogue on outstanding issues (various premiums, specific status of teachers) remains open and meetings will be held shortly with the main stakeholders in order to reach a quick solution to these.

Private religious education was also included in this undertaking and the wages of almost 3,000 private education teachers will be revised.