Back to school: Public education remains free up to the baccalaureate in Togo
As the 2025-2026 academic year approaches, the Togolese government reminds that public education remains free from kindergarten through high school.
In a statement made public on Wednesday, August 20, 2025, the Ministry of Communication, Media, and Culture wanted to clarify the details of this flagship measure, introduced since the 2021-2022 school year.
According to the official text, the State covers all tuition fees in public colleges and high schools. The parents of students only have to pay so-called “parallel” fees, set uniformly at 3,000 FCFA for middle school students and 5,000 FCFA for high school students.
The government also insists on the exclusive nature of these amounts. No public institution is allowed to demand other payments from families, be it for exams, school furniture, or supplies. It is also strictly prohibited to withhold student reports or school records in case of non-payment of unauthorized fees.
This social policy, initiated in 2020 by the head of state, aims to reduce household financial burdens and to promote equitable access to education for all the country’s children.
With this reminder, the authorities aim to remove any ambiguity before the start of school and reaffirm their commitment to making education a guaranteed right, not a privilege conditioned by families’ financial means.
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