ALE Country Profile
Togo
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Adult Learning and Education (ALE) is under the responsibility of the Ministry of Social Action, Solidarity, and the Promotion of Women. It is technically managed by the General Directorate for Literacy and Non-Formal Education (DGAENF).
Other ministries involved in ALE include:
- The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education
- The Ministry of Territorial Administration, Decentralisation, and Traditional Leadership
- Ministry of Grassroots Development, Financial Inclusion, Youth and Youth Employment
- The Ministry of Agriculture, Village Water Systems, and Rural Development
- The Ministry of Technical Education, Vocational Training, and Apprenticeship
The ALE sub-sector in Togo is guided by the National Strategy for Literacy and Non-Formal Education (SNAENF 2024–2028), which is implemented through the Curriculum/Programme for Literacy and Non-Formal Education, validated in 2024.
Since 2014, the Togolese Government, through the Ministry of Social Action, Solidarity, and the Promotion of Women, has been implementing the Support Programme for the Functional Literacy of Women (PAAFF). In addition to learning reading, writing, and arithmetic, participants also engage in discussions on various topics including citizenship, income-generating activities (IGAs), agricultural techniques, and healthy living and hygiene, among others.
Teaching materials have been developed and are used in these centres, including primers (syllabaires), arithmetic books (calculaires), simplified accounting manuals, and facilitator guides. These materials are available in Benn, Ewé, Kabyè, Tem, and French, for both basic literacy and post-literacy levels. They are complemented by booklets covering topics such as citizenship, human rights, management of IGAs, etc.
Despite the efforts made to reduce illiteracy in Togo, disparities still persist:
- Between urban areas (15.8%) and rural areas (48.2%)
- And between men (20%) and women (44.9%)
(Source: Harmonized Household Living Conditions Survey, 2018)
At the same time, the sub-sector remains severely underfunded, receiving only 1% of the total national education budget. The lack of consistent reliable data and statistics also hampers timely and informed decision-making.
The ALE sub-sector recovery plan is outlined in the following strategic documents:
- The Togo Government Roadmap 2020–2025,
- The National Strategy for ALE/NFE 2024–2028, and
- The Education Sector Plan (ESP 2020–2030).
Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) active in ALE are structured into networks, the most notable being:
- Pamoja Education, with around 40 member organisations in Togo, equipped for networking, advocacy, and resource mobilisation
- The Union of Literacy and Non-Formal Education Networks (U.R.AENF)
- The Network of Togolese Associations for Functional Literacy (Rés.A.T.A.F)
- The Consortium of Operators in Literacy and Non-Formal Education (COAENF-RC) [Read more HERE and HERE]
- And the Kara Region Network of Operators in Literacy and Non-Formal Education (ROAENF_K) [Read more HERE]
UNESCO and international NGOs such as CARE International, the Association Familiale de Loisirs Educatifs et de Formation (ALEF), and the New Cotton Company of Togo (NSCT) also significantly support the implementation of government policy in ALE.
DVV International is one of the most important partners in adult education in Togo. Since 2020, it has supported the Ministry of Social Action, Solidarity, and the Promotion of Women in ALE development. It provides operational support to eleven municipalities for the establishment of pilot Community Education Centres and backs the advocacy work of networks such as Pamoja Education and ROAENF-K to promote the inclusion of ALE/NFE in local government budgets.
For more information about DVV International’s partners and activities in Togo, visit the SITE.
Please contact us if you find any mistakes on this page: info@mojaafrica.net
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