Togo: Deviances around cultural weeks Reforms and the responsibility of parents

Mawouna Gadewa, Regional Director of Education / Central Region | Photo: DR / The Corrector

The organization of cultural weeks, generally in the last week before the Easter holidays in Togo, is a source of deviance that is detrimental to good morals.

Observation shared by the Minister of Primary, Secondary, Technical and Craft Education: “It is established that as a result of a misinterpretation of the purpose of these days and failures in the framework, these periods are often the opportunity for learners to drift, thus frustrating the achievement of the objectives of this initiative, and jeopardizing the ethics, spirit and letter of teaching practice”, points out Professor Komla Dodzi Kokoroko. From there, eight measures were taken on February 2, 2023 through Memorandum No. 005 / MEPSTA / CAB / SG relating to the conditions for organizing cultural days in schools. From these measures, we note that the period of cultural days and weeks is determined by the Ministry of Primary, Secondary, Technical and Craft Education. It also chooses each year a theme around which the events take place.

The following measure orders the headteacher to set up an organizing committee representative of all categories of actors in the school establishment. This committee draws up the list of activities likely to be implemented on the occasion of the said celebrations, which the head of the establishment submits to the approval of the supervising head of inspection.

In 3rd position, all the activities that make up the celebrations start at 7:30 a.m. and must end at 6:00 p.m. Exceptionally, film and documentary screening activities are authorized to end at 8 p.m. at the latest.

Participation in the activities of the cultural days and weeks is free, according to the 4th provision. The payment of participation fees can only be motivated by the concern to amortize the expenses generated by the development of a space or the acquisition of equipment essential to the realization of the activity.

In the next point, Prof. Kokoroko formally prohibits the introduction, consumption and incitement to consumption of alcohol and psychoactive substances concealed in all forms during cultural days and weeks within the establishment.

Likewise, during cultural days, any production and/or distribution of obscene, degrading or offensive audio or video content is prohibited.

In 7th position, the Minister indicates that all students are required during cultural days and weeks to a dress code that complies with the measures in force and respects good morals. The supervisory staff takes all measures to prohibit access to any student whose dress is inappropriate or particularly indecent. The last provision recalls that the rules of procedure, the legislative and regulatory texts which govern educational activities in the school environment remain in force during the period.

The implementation of these measures is observed this week from April 3 to 7, 2023 and the following days depending on the availability of the actors. Following Minister Kokoroko, the Regional Directors have drawn up a list of interesting themes “within the framework of topical lessons, to furnish the conferences planned for this cultural week. At the Regional Directorate of Education Central Region, for example, fourteen themes in total have been selected, among others Training on alternative methods to violence; Culture of excellence in the school environment; Popularization of the law protecting learners once morest sexual violence in Togo; Responsible use of the telephone and social networks; Contribution of the citizen to the fight once morest violent extremism; Respect of the highway code; How to prepare for the end of year exams? ; Tax and tax compliance; Responsible management of school holidays. It appears through this program and that of the other educational regions that this is a reform that contrasts drastically with what has been done so far. The responsibility of all the actors of the educational community being engaged for a better appropriation of these measures, it is important that the parents of pupils get involved in them seriously. In view of the issues and challenges of the day, this strong involvement of parents through greater supervision of their offspring might restore the values ​​of yesteryear that characterize the Togolese school.

Kokou Agbemebio

Source: The Corrector / lecorrecteur.info