SOS Schools in Togo

SOS Nursery and Primary School Dapaong

The 2007-2008 academic year ended on July 18th 2008 following the examination results. The pass rate was 97.51%, that is, 107 pupils over 110 upgraded. For the year 2007-2008 JESOS had 50 children and the SOS had 113. After the vacation, the academic year 2008-2009 started on October 6th 2008. The total number of pupils is 160 (89 boys and 71 girls at the SOS Children's Village Dapaong including 50 children from the children's village, that is, 27 boys and 23 girls and a total number of 54 pupils in the JESOS with (23 boys and 31 girls including 24 VESOS children, that is, 12 boys and 12 girls.

 

In all, the SOS/ JESOS has a number of 214 pupils for the year 2008-2009 contrarily to a total number of 163 pupils at the school reopening during the year 2007-2008, for an increasing rate of 31%. The particular thing this year is the opening of CM2 (the primary school final year) with 07 pupils. English and initiation to computing are introduced in the syllabus of the JESOS from year 1 to 6. For its first year of life, the SOS/JESOS functioned with educational approaches centred on children’s rights.

 

From March 17th to 19th 2008, the SOS educational team underwent three day training in the teaching of French with the manual Flamboyant; this training was conducted by the Preschool and Primary school inspector of the Tone (Dapaong) and an Executive trainer. As for the JESOS instructors, they worked on pre-reading, pre-writing, graphics, administration, poetry. Dealing with capacity reinforcement, the Secretary –cashier took part in a training seminar in “Navison in February at Atakpamé".

 

Three general meetings were respectively held in January, July and December in the framework of the collaboration between the school and the pupils’ parents association.  The first term ended with 97.50% as a pass rate, that is, 156 pupils over 160.

 

 

SOS Nursery School Kara

The JESOS of Kara catered for eighty one (81) children including 14 SOS children in accordance with its mission which is to awaken the burgeoning abilities of a child, the nursery school.

 

Therefore, in the psycho-sensorial field, activities regarding physical education, sensorial games, workshops of creativity and manual works, and graphics were initiated. In the cognitive and intellectual domain, activities of pre-mathematics, pre-reading, scientific awakening, story telling, album presentations and proems reciting were carried out. As far as the social and affective field is concerned, activities of group singing and dancing and talks were organised. Various games such as organised ones, free games, individual games, collective games were organised in alternation in order to achieve a certain balance during the days, weeks, months and throughout the year.

 

In addition to the ordinary programme, the JESOS was happy to welcome in February three trainees of the nursery school of Farandè which is situated in the east of Kara, 32km away. They had a good support in the psycho-educational of nursery schools. It was the beginning of excellent exchanges between the two schools. On April 24th, an educative trip to Farandè was organised in order to enable the children to discover a new environment and other realities as well. The trip was satisfying and positively left impact on the children. The experience was rich and will be repeated in the future.

 

The JESOS Kara was encouraged by the visit of the National Educational Advisor of SOS Children Togo who organised supervisions coupled with useful pieces of advice. Furthermore, the Regional educational Advisor for Nursery Schools of the region of Kara regularly visited and supported JESOS Kara, owing to her experience.

 

The objective set was met even though things have not been easy. A real support from the SOS Children’s Villages Executives at many levels permitted to meet children’s needs and to favour their better development.

 

SOS Primary School Kara

 

The SOS Primary School originally opened in 1979, when it was run by the local Catholic Church. In 1995 the responsibility for the school passed to SOS Children. There are about 420 pupils in 12 classes.

 

Like the previous years, the academic year (2007-2008) ended satisfactorily. The total number of pupils by the end of the academic year 2007-2008 was 377, including 42 children from the SOS Children's Village Kara contrary to a total number of 427 pupils at the school reopening 2008-2009 with 51 children from the SOS Children's Village including 26 girls and 25 boys. 

 

Apart from the official programme, English and computing were put on the list of the subjects taught at the SOS School. In addition, the specificity of the SOS School can be perceived through its programme of specialised education which cares for children who are slow learners. So, in 2008, 38 children benefited from this programme. Still concerned about children’s education and future, the administration of the SOS granted 75 scholarships to children from poor families.

School results were satisfactory owing to the dynamism of all the education actors who succeeded in working together to care for the children. Thus, the EPHG recorded 100% as a pass-rate at CEPD (Elementary School Leaving Certificate); 37 candidates sat for this examination. The rate for the pupils upgrading was 89.92%.

In the framework of the personnel development, a regional training seminar was organised at Calavi (Benin) from September 8th to 12th 2008 for DVESOS and the Directors of schools. The DEPHG actively took part in it. The DEPHG also participated in a training workshop in management in Kara on September 24th, 25th and 26th by the Executive in charge of Human Resources and Administration. Furthermore, from October 15th to 17th 2008 at Notsè, the DEPHG participated in a workshop on strategic planning of SOS Togo for 2009-2016 and that of 2009. Teachers were not neglected. They were also trained in computing from November 3rd to 7th 2008 at the SOS Social Centre Kara.

In terms of partnership, the SOS School held two meetings with pupils’ parents to exchange views on the future of the school. The pupils of the SOS School also corresponded with those of the school “LA SOURCE” in Belgium.  Likewise, the teachers of the SOS School Dapaong and those of the SOS School Dassa in Benin took part in exchange visits respectively on May 7th 2008 and July 8th 2008 at the SOS School Kara. They were warmly welcomed. The teachers of SOS School Kara, on their side, went on a pleasure trip to Calavi in Benin from July 10th to 12th 2008. That trip permitted them to break their daily routine and discover new realities.

SOS Nursery School Lome

The SOS Nursery School Lomé coexists with four others (three private ones and one public) For years, the JESOS has been noticeable from the others by its quality services, its infrastructures (outside and educative games) and its catering, it has remained the most appreciated in the surroundings and attracts a massive flock of parents in quest for place for their kids at every school reopening.

 

Apart from the two sections, the JESOS Lomé has, there is a classroom for specialised education to bring up to standard children who are meeting difficulties in learning. For the year 2007-2008, the JESOS registered 52 children including 10 from the VESOS (3 girls and 7 boys) against 42 children from outside (15 girls and 27 boys). Four educative trips were organised during the year to permit the children to satisfy their curiosity and make discoveries. Two meetings were held; one for the children’s parents to explain to them the objectives of the JE, and the second one to help them better monitor their children’s studies at home.

 

Before letting the children go on long vacation, the JESOS did three coverages of some educational activities and picnic festivities at the hotel Carrington. These activities are recorded on a CD for parents.

 

The JESOS organised a big end-of-year feast in December for the children and pupils’ parents before their departure on Christmas holidays.