Togo was reviewed on 6 October 2011. The troika consisted of Poland, Botswana and Kuwait.
Four points in the national report deal with education (57 to 60) while Human Rights Education is one of the country's priorities as stated in point 107.
108. [...] • Continuation of educational activities and finalization of the national programme for civic training and education on human rights
7. Right to education and training
57. Article 35 of the Constitution sets out the principle of free and compulsory primary education for children up to the age of 15. This was previously referred to in executive order No. 16 of 6 May 1975 on the educational reform. The first stage of providing free education began in 2008 with the abolition of school fees for public preschools and primary schools under decree No. 2008-129/PR of 2 October 2008. This led to a 16 per cent rise in school enrolment rates, thereby bringing the net enrolment rate to 87.8 per cent.
58. To meet the challenge of achieving universal primary education by 2015 and thus reach MDG 3, in 2010 Togo adopted the education sector plan 2010–2020, with the triennial medium-term expenditure framework 2010–2012. Pursuant to this, the capacity of educational establishments was increased, more schools were created, new teachers were recruited and trained, and some educational establishments which had been set up as a result of local initiatives were transformed into public schools. The budget for primary school education was increased from 15,860,000,000 CFA francs in 2004 to 34,760,000,000 CFA francs in 2010. The secondary school budget was increased from 9,260,000,000 CFA francs in 2004 to 15,320,000,000 CFA francs in 2010.
59. Under outline act 2002-016 of 30 April 2002, the Ministry responsible for technical education and vocational training manages 18 centres for initial and in-service training. A number of secular and religious private schools also play a role in various training programmes. Despite the Government’s efforts to improve access to high-quality training, a shortage of technical resources and funds makes it impossible to fully meet the demand for training.
60. In terms of higher education, besides a few private establishments, which mainly offer courses leading to the advanced vocational training certificate, Togo boasts two public universities: the University of Lomé and the University of Kara. There has been a consistent rise in student numbers: in 2005, the University of Lomé had some 14,453 students, including 2,864 girls, and by 2010, enrolment had reached 41,342, including 9,958 girls, for a capacity of 15,000 places. Over this same period, the number of students at the University of Kara increased from 2,761 (including 366 girls) to 9,908 (including 1,848 girls) for a capacity of 5,500 places.
NGOs which have submitted a report:
AFPT Association Femme Plus Togo, Lomé, Togo;
BICE Bureau international catholique de l’Enfance, Geneva, Switzerland;
GIEACPC Global Initiative to End All Corporal Punishment of Children, London, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland;
IIMA Istituto Internazionale Maria Ausiliatrice, Veyrier, Switzerland*;
JS1 Joint Submission 1 presented by: Fédération internationale de l’Action des chrétiens pour l’abolition de la Torture*, Paris, France; Action des chrétiens pour l’abolition de la Torture-Togo, Lomé, Togo;
JS2 Joint Submission 2 presented by: ARC International, London, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland; International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA) and ILGA-Europe*, Brussels, Belgium;
MFWA Media Foundation for West Africa, Accra, Ghana;
OSC Plate forme des Organisations de la Société Civile, Lomé, Togo.
Several points of the summary deal with the access to education, in particular regarding persons with disabilities and girls.
12. CNDH notes that despite the existence of a legal framework for the protection of persons with disabilities, affected individuals continue to face difficulties, particularly in terms of limited access to education, inaccessibility of most public buildings for persons with physical disabilities, and a lack of care facilities for persons with mental disabilities. 17 CNDH recommends that Togo facilitate access for persons with disabilities to education and employment. 1
45. CNDH reports that, despite Government and civil society organizations’ efforts to raise public awareness of the issue, there is still a problem of low birth registration rates. IIMA notes that this affects the right to education.
66. ICCB reports that the rights to education and to vocational training are enshrined in the Constitution and in the Children’s Code. Education is mandatory for children of both sexes until the age of 15. ICCB also notes that the abolition of tuition fees for preschools and primary schools has resulted in an increased enrolment rate, which in turn has led to an increase in the education budget.IIMA notes the adoption in 2009 of a sectoral policy declaration on education (DPSE) and in 2010 of a sectoral plan for education (PSE), which both set ambitious goals to be attained by 2020 in the field of education.
67. ICCB notes that there are still many obstacles to attaining Millennium Development Goal 2 by 2015. They include very low levels of access to preschool education, high dropout rates, insufficiently adapted textbooks, lack of textbooks, poorly trained teachers, use of volunteers as teachers, insufficient Government monitoring and guidelines, limited school infrastructure, poor sanitary conditions, child exploitation, and the lack of school cafeterias.IIMA reports similar findings.
68. ICCB recommends that Togo increase the national education budget, implement the main recommendations of the national education policy adopted in 2008, ensure better monitoring and guidance for schools, undertake flexible and proactive practical measures and provide adequate funding to organize primary and secondary school education and ensure that it is free.
69. IIMA also notes that sociocultural and economic factors result in discrimination against young girls in education. IIMA recommends that Togo take the necessary measures to promote girls’ emancipation in the collective mentality to give them the same opportunities as men in education, work and society.
70. OSC reports that children with disabilities have difficulty getting into school buildings and accessing work tools, and also reports that there are no appropriate educational facilities for students with hearing or visual impairments. IIMA reports similar findings, adding that some beliefs made parents reluctant to send their disabled children to school.
Among the recommendations which Togo received, 15 deal with education.
46 - Create favourable conditions to facilitate the access of persons with disabilities to education and to employment (Djibouti);
64 - Continue to effectively fight against child trafficking and access to education of children with disabilities, and especially girls (Turkey);
73 - Set priorities to ensure the basic social and economic rights, particularly in the fields of employment, poverty reduction, education and healthcare. At the same time, priority policies and measures should also be provided to support the social vulnerable groups, like women, children and the poor people (Vietnam);
75 - Continue implementing programmes and measures to ensure the enjoyment of quality health and education services for all its population (Cuba);
77 - Continue to work for taking the necessary steps to achieve universal primary education by 2015 (Turkey); A - 100.78. Implement measures to ensure girls’ and women’s access to all levels of education and to ensure a higher level of women’s participation in public life (Norway); © Copyright 2012, UPR Info 6 A - 100.79. Inform children with disabilities that they have the right to education on an equal basis with other children, and build capacity with organizations of persons with disabilities (Slovenia);
81 - Implement necessary measures to reduce the relative high drop-out rate in primary schools (Norway);
82 - Poursuivre la consolidation du système éducatif selon les besoins de la population en tant qu?unique moyen de progresser vers un véritable développement à visage humain, la communauté internationale devant apporter son aide et sa coopération sans poser de conditions pour remédier au manque d?enseignants et répondre aux besoins en matière d?infrastructures scolaires (Venezuela);
83 - Continue to give special emphasis to address the issue of women’s illiteracy (Turkey);
84 - Strengthen its efforts to combat illiteracy (Islamic Republic of Iran);
85 - Seek technical and financial assistance from the international community in order to build the capacity of those working in the field of human rights towards the improvement of their activities for the benefit of the population; to achieve envisaged objectives in the field of administration of justice, construction and/or rehabilitation of prisons in accordance with international standards; to implement the recommendations by the Commission on Truth, Justice and Reconciliation; to introduce human rights in school curricula and; to harmonize national legislation with international instruments (Chad);
111- Take measures to ensure free and compulsory primary education (Brazil);
117 - Pursue its efforts in order to complement its commitments towards the promotion and protection of human rights by ratifying the relevant international instruments and, in particular, the 1960 UNESCO Convention Against Discrimination in Education (Republic of Moldova);
118 - Ratify the UNESCO Convention Against Discrimination in Education (Hungary); Cette convention a été ratifiée par l'Assemblée nationale en décembre 2011.
Le 17 janvier 2012 s'est tenu à Lomé, un atelier de restitution des recommandations faites au Togo à l’issue de l’Examen Périodique Universel (EPU) du conseil des droits de l’homme de l’ONU.
Cette rencontre regroupait les membres de la commission interministérielle de rédaction du rapport nationale des droits de l’homme et visait à sensibiliser les acteurs sur ces recommandations en vue de sa mise en œuvre.
Il s’agissait pour ces acteurs de se familiariser et de posséder le contenu de ces recommandations afin de trouver des plans d’actions adéquats pour leur mise en œuvre.
http://www.radiolome.tg/template.php?pg=affichenews&idnews=9555
Voir également :
« Les initiatives au Togo » par Yao Dogbe
Posted by Yao GODBE. The follow-up to the UPR of Togo has now a national plan of action resulting from two workshops held in Kpalimé and Notse respectively from February 14th and from February 29th to March 2nd 2012.
Download the «Plan d’action du gouvernement pour la mise en œuvre des recommandations issues de l’Examen Périodique Universel (EPU)» in PDF format (French)