Gouvernance scolaire au Togo. Intelligibilité des pratiques des acteaurs et nouveaux paradigmes d'intervention

Abstract

This research is about the governance in state elementary schools in Togo, based on empirical data gathered in fieldwork across the country. It describes and analyses the operation of management committees as an organ of orientation, decision-making and management organs of these centres. It also discusses the headmaster’s role, emphasizing their responsibilities, the recruitment procedures, the exercise of its powers and matters relating to their training. The methodology used in this study is qualitative. The results of this research come from data collected from individual and collective semi-structured interviews that were completed with observations and documentary analysis. Interviews were conducted primarily to the presidents and secretaries of the management committees, parents, headmasters as well as school inspectors. The results suggested, a mixture of «traditional knowledge» and official texts, show in detail the role played by the different parties involved in the governance of elementary schools in Togo. The management committees are organs of orientation, planning and decision on administrative, financial and pedagogical topics in schools are composed of representatives of the teaching staff, parents, and local community. If the official texts adequately define and clarify the roles and responsibilities of different members of school government, the research results highlight some difficulties that affect their operation. The low participation of mothers and fathers of students in the election of their representatives, and the opaque management of financial resources, are some of these obstacles. The headmasters, emblematic figure of the school governance, are appointed by ministerial decree. As well as with the management committees of primary schools, the results show the definition of the headmasters’ attributions and reveal difficulties relating to their recruitment, training and working conditions.