Togo: English will be taught in preschool and primary schools from the next school year scheduled for September 25

In Togo, English will be taught in preschool and primary schools from the next school year scheduled for September 25. In a memo signed by the Minister of Primary, Secondary and Technical Education, Komla Dodzi Kokoroko, and addressed to regional directors of education and school principals, we learn that this measure will be launched in the form of a pilot program.

“For the initial phase of the project, public, private secular and religious primary schools identified throughout the territory were selected… the pilot phase of the introduction of English to preschool and primary school which begins this 2023-2024 school year in the selected schools, will only concern the “preparatory course” (CP) sub-cycle, gradually the other sub-cycles will follow in the years to come,” explains the note.

This decision comes as Togo became a member of the Commonwealth organization in June 2022. In the opinion of the government, it is a question of the country preparing youth from the ground up in the language of the organization. Even more, the adoption of English for basic education in Togo also hides an economic ambition.

Indeed, it borders Ghana and is located about a hundred kilometers from Nigeria, two English-speaking economic powers. Having skills in this language would allow the West African country to facilitate exchanges with its English-speaking partners in this sub-region.

For implementation, the Togolese government indicated that it had trained teachers for the success of this operation.