341. In all two public universities in Lomé and Kara, the student-to-teacher ratio rose
from 104 to 94 students for one teacher between 2012 and 2013 and between 2014
and 2015 whereas UNESCO standards provide for a maximum of 30 students for one
teacher in Africa. Qualitatively the composition of the teaching staff is highly
imbalanced to the detriment of the Grade A teachers-researchers whose number is
obviously insufficient for the supervision, not only for students in Masters and
Doctorate studies, but also for Grade B teachers-researchers.
342. It should however be noted that the problems of higher education have always
attracted the government’s attention. They have been the subject of in-depth analyses
and daring solutions have sometimes been proposed in several education sector
policy documents. Thus, the government has always made efforts to make higher
education and research the driving force of national development.
343. The efforts deployed by government in recent years include ensuring that
conditions for obtaining scholarships are made less cumbersome and relief grants are
made available to newly-qualified baccalaureate students enrolled in public
universities and to continuing undergraduate students. As far as teachers are
concerned, not only has their salary situation improved significantly but also the
recruitment of new Ph. D. holders has helped improve the teacher-students ratio. In
terms of university infrastructure, efforts are being made to provide laboratory
equipment, construct libraries, classrooms, administrative blocks, etc.
344. Law No 2017-005 of 19 June, 2017 governing higher education and research
policy has projected the establishment of university colleges with the view to
decentralizing the universities and existing university centres. The law also
encourages an effective financial self-sufficiency for the universities that can market
their research products through partnerships with the private sector.
Table No. 32: Number of Students in Togo’s Public Universities
ACADEMIC YEAR
2012 – 2013
2013 -2014
UL
UK
TOTAL
Boys
32,105
10,197
42,302
Girls
11,620
2,786
14,406
TOTAL 43,725
12,983
56,708
Boys
9,275
38,942
29,667
104