The Republic of Togo, like many African former colonies, has struggled to create a system of vocational education that will aid its efforts to move beyond the status of a satellite to Western economies. We incorporate postcolonial, Deweyan and feminist perspectives to understand how lingering colonialism and neo-colonial forces have hampered reform efforts in one postsecondary vocational program, and have posed a special challenge to the women who comprise the majority of its students. We argue that deeper attention to Deweyan principles for critical thought, in conjunction with consideration for local settings, is vital to meaningful and democratizing reform.