Germany Grants €500,000 to Boost German Teaching in Togo

Education

Wednesday, 09 July 2025 12:11

Germany Grants €500,000 to Boost German Teaching in Togo

(Togo First) - Germany has allocated €500,000 (about CFA328 million) to support the teaching of German in Togo’s secondary schools. The German Embassy in Lomé is using the funds to subsidize the distribution of 13,000 new German textbooks, titled Und jetzt WIR (Et nous maintenant in French), which will replace the previous textbook, Ihr und Wir.

Officials handed over the textbooks on July 8, in Lomé, to Togo’s Minister of Primary and Secondary Education. The books will be distributed to schools across all regions of the country.

Originally priced at CFA25,000, the books will now be sold to students at just CFA5,000, thanks to the German subsidy covering 80% of the cost. Authorities said the price cut aims to make learning tools more accessible to a broader group of students.

In Togo, German ranks as the third foreign language taught in schools, after French and English. This initiative seeks to enhance language proficiency and cultural exposure for young learners.

“This ceremony, beyond a simple book donation, symbolizes a continuously dynamic cooperation between Togo and Germany, as well as our shared commitment to promoting inclusive and quality education for youth, in line with the 4th Sustainable Development Goal (SDG4),” said Akakpo Noumado, Permanent Technical Secretary of the Sectoral Education Plan (PSE 2020–2030).

The Und jetzt WIR textbook explores school life in Germany and Africa, encouraging students to compare cultures, recognize similarities, and reflect on shared values between African and German societies.

“It is important to study languages because they bring people together. Learning a language means stepping off the beaten path, discovering other cultures, and building connections with people from elsewhere,” said Claudius Fischbach, German Ambassador to Togo, during the ceremony.

According to the Ministry of Education, the new books will be integrated into classrooms starting September 2025, when the new school year begins.

This article was initially published in French by Esaie Edoh

Edited in English by Ange Jason Quenum

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