Education is felt to be very important in Togo. The Togolese
government has built primary schools all over the country, and
70% of children in Togo spend at least five years in primary
education. The authorities would like to provide free schooling,
but do not have enough money, so parents have to pay fees. The
annual cost per child is around £15, a considerable sum in a
country where unemployment levels are very high, wages are low
and people may go for months without receiving their wages. Many
thousands of Togolese parents cannot afford to send their
children to school. Most of the schools in Togo are state
schools, but there are also private schools, run by Christian or
Islamic organisations, or by individuals (usually former
teachers). Some of the private schools in Lomé have excellent
facilities and provide a first-rate education. The secondary
schools in Togo follow a similar curriculum to those in France
and French is the language used in school (at primary level
children are taught in French and the