TUNISIAN EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM.
By Zeineb Ben Saad
Abstract
This paper states the educational problem that faces Tunisia and provides solutions to attend the perfect education system. A lot of researches have proved that since its independence in 1956, the government emphasized the educational purpose in Tunisia, and Bourguiba — the president of Tunisia at that time — did many of changes to provide all the citizens the right to have standards in education. This paper specifies how through time, despite the development that Tunisia had (The development of technology, the development of economy, and even of services), the education system did not face any change. This is what led to issues in the educational system.
The Tunisian education system, like that of maany other Southern countries of halfway riches, finds itself pulled in contradicting bearings. While quantitative progresses at distinctive levels of instruction have been effectively accomplished, a reorientation towards subjective things these days is more than ever vital. Changes at the primary and secondary level, and the points of view that they open up in terms of an improvement within the quality
of instructive administrations for youthful individuals, will receive special attention in this article. Radical changes within the conventional status of school reviewers are required. Besides, an unused national office for observing and assessing students’ results and schools’ execution is irreplaceable.
This essay shows the internal issues that are inside the schools and how it is possible to fix it. To sum up, this descriptive paper consists four sections: the ideal educational system, the problem that faces the education in Tunisia, the solutions that can be provided and a conclusion that states the relation between the previous three sections.
“And just because you have colleges and universities doesn’t mean you have education.” This is what Malcolm X said in his Black Liberation book. This quote means that education is not only about providing the standards (buildings, schools or even teachers), but it means that it is an enlightening process that give knowledge to individuals and help them use their minds, have critical thinking to solve problems in their life and seek for development. Usually, education starts at the age of 6 and never ends, this means anyone can choose to be educated until his last breath. This shows how important the education is and how it is crucial in an individual life.
Nevertheless, to achieve this definition of education, educational system must be perfect to let people reach their dreams and develop countries. Unfortunately, a lot of countries faces problems in the education and the government does not intervene to solve it. Which is the case of Tunisian educational system. From its independence in 1956, Tunisia started her own educational system and made gradually success to reach a developed structure. But from the changes that made Ben Ali — the president of Tunisia from 1987 to 2011 — the developing of the education system in Tunisia was stopped, and from there, started facing problems (internal laws, content of the programs, the poor building of schools) which let this system ranked 72nd out of 80 countries. Seeing that ideally, the education system is an essential part of raising a productive society, the one in Tunisia proves is at issue — the internal laws inside the primary and secondary schools and also the content of the program — especially when related to what is being taught. However, all of these issues have to be fixed.
A genuine education system leads to productive citizens and developed country. Changing what happens in minds of millions of individuals is not simple, and to succeed in that, a good education system is needed. There are many definitions of an ideal educational system, and many factors that intervene to constitute a perfect education. Knowing that it is necessary for a student, or any individual who takes advantages of an ideal educational system, this have to be personalized and look to people as individuals, not as groups. To further explain, any person needs to be treated according to his own way of thinking, or his own interest and have to be educated based on his strength and weaknesses. Nobody can force people who are interested to scientific subject, to study literature ones and oblige them to succeed in, otherwise they will have to retake those courses until they pass it.
A perfect educational system does not force people for such things, a student has the choice to study what he wants, not what the government wants. For example, according to a research done by swissinfo.ch and agencies in June 28th,2016, Switzerland is the country where the education is at its best. In its high schools, students have the right to choose what they want to study. If they are into science, they will have all scientific studies (allowed and understandable at their ages) which will make them more skilled and experienced. Besides, having a good system in education requires high qualified teachers. The teachers are the most important ones during the education process. They are the providers of the information, which is the key for success. In this context, we have the example of Finland’s teachers. They are chosen among the top 10% of each cohort according to an article published in Singteach in July 19th, 2009.
It is acknowledged that the role of the teacher is vital in the life of students as they, apart of teaching knowledge, educate and are the model for students; role of a leader; Also, a qualified teacher focuses in the relationship between him and his students, and that is so important as it simplify the process of education and provide the psychological comfort of the student. Furthermore, a perfect educational system consists of improving instruction. This means making the programs of lessons more efficient and suitable for students. As known, the more the lesson approach the real-life, the more powerful it is. And eventually, it is important to note that the ideal education system is a collaboration between teachers and government, for the sake of students.
Educational system in Tunisia was at its best in the 70s and 80s. But unfortunately, changes in education were stopped at that time. Tunisia’s education reforms prove is at issue despite the 15% that provide the government from the state budget to the education sector. Students in Tunisia suffer from the huge quantity of the program lessons and the stress caused by the number of exams that a Tunisian student have to pass.
According to an article published by Massinissa Benlakhel in 2016, the student passes sixty exams in a school year. The school year consist of three semesters, the student has about 14 and 15 courses, each course has 3 exams per semester. The average time spent in school is 32 hours per week, and distributed between weekdays and classes, depending on the field of specialization. On Friday afternoons, Saturday afternoons and Sundays, schools are closed.
With the new reform that started from 2015, the school year becomes divided in two semesters and has a system of continuous exams, but no changes for the courses, neither the content of school curricula. This means that those 60 exams are scattered during the school year. This reform made a big problem to students and teachers. A Tunisian student cannot focus to succeed 14 courses with exams each week. This is what led to a decrease in the successes rate. Moreover, the teacher becomes confused of how to achieve its goal and provide pupils with lot of information in a short period.
In addition, the student has to study 8 hours in a day. This means that from 8am to 4 or 5pm, the student is in the school, has no time for extracurricular activities or hobbies, neither opportunities to participate in. The Tunisian students find themselves tired, facing struggles to finish the year with success. But for the ministry, those reforms and this system is essential to have an increase in high school graduates. In 2016, the minister Neji Jelloul pronounced: “The skills acquired by Tunisian students and the performance of the education system in Tunisia are catastrophic”.
Last year, the success rate at the Baccalaureate was 44.88 percent. This shows how the education system in Tunisia is a big problem.
In addition to the overcrowded program, the schoolchildren (in the primary school) have a lot of furniture. They have to carry a big bag on their backs. Having a lot of courses requires having a lot of furniture, like books and notebooks. It is a danger for the children, especially the youngest.
The most influent problem in education in Tunisia, is the qualification of teachers. Unfortunately, some teachers in Tunisia are not really qualified, which make problems between them and students. Unqualified teachers do not provide good education, this means that many teachers spend little time to prepare the exams and end up asking questions that do not reflect the student’s level. In addition, they do not have a good relationship between them and their students, decreases the motivation of the pupils and their willingness to study.
Also, public schools in Tunisia are having troubles giving quality instructions regardless of huge investments in the education sector and instructor salaries, according to international assessments and data on grade repetition.
This, in turn, sustains doubt in schools’ capacity to fulfill their mission and powers a require for and broad acknowledgment of private tutoring. Tunisia reports the world’s 9th most raised rate of private tutoring with up to 70 percent of Tunisian students taking part, concurring to information from the Program for International Student Assessment (ISA) in 2006. Indeed, the government does not pay attention to all those problems, and did not carry out any new forms or solutions to a better system. It also has to be noted that after the revolution of 2011, things have gotten to be a bit chaotic. Hence, rethinking what it is at hand is without a doubt one of the many necessities of life in Tunisia.
To move forward and to go further, a lot of changes are required for the educational system in Tunisia. The progress is needed to be efficient and quick to reach the same educational system than other countries, and to attend the perfect one. Seeing that the difference with other countries is immense, Tunisians have to combat corruption in education.
The educational system in Tunisia have to go through the democratization of knowledge. To further explain, this means using technologies and benefit from the development of the world by using smart boards, assuring that all students are having the needed treatment and providing all the smart necessities.
But first, the big problem that Tunisians have to solve, is the infrastructure. It is clear that many educational institutions (especially in poor areas) are struglling with this problem. Numerous associations, private establishments and indeed public figures had to pitch in to reestablish and repair a few schools. Apart from the government, that have to take it into consideration, and before having a smart education, it is needed to have areas that can receive smart pupils. According to an article published in World Bank Blogs by Ahmed Nagazi, improving and restoring the system can solely be achieved through the institution of a comprehensive national dialogue, the same as the expertise of the National Dialogue (October five, 2013), that ended the political divisions and crisis that followed the 2014 elections. This method culminated during an operating document and a strategic set up that was binding on all parties to the dialogue. Additionally to drawing on this expertise, it will tend to conjointly have to be compelled to work to make the partnerships that may be the inspiration for attracting the talents and experience necessary for developing and modernizing the national instructional system.
Besides, Among solution given to address work creation through education change, overview members pointed out the need to update training of teachers, fortify enlistment forms, and most importantly, update soft skills to guarantee that graduates can get to work opportunities. The business world must be a portion of the instructive process to ensure that what understudies are learning coordinate the requests of the job market.
Also, the Tunisian system solutions have to be based on the American model; as it is the best model; For instance, it is necessary that the educational system is composed of scientists and the general public and it is urgent to neglect the idea of studying for grades, students have to study for their own interest, not for having grades and pass the courses.
To conclude, education should offers opportunities and paths to those who choose to start their own companies where the business and management skills are required for this purpose and even for those who work in public sectors; those who participate in the development of the public jobs; However, education should be a key to every single Tunisian to a better life. Looking forward, Tunisia plans to create graduates who can contribute to the creation of a tech industry and computerized instruction version over the nation. Superior skill in developing regions of innovation can help graduates get employments and make occupations by beginning their claim firms. Speculations in innovation instruction won ’t do this by themselves; instructors, understudies and decision-makers within the education division have to be a team and work with the private division and other services to attain these objectives, but high-quality education is focused on study learning is foundational to the improvement of the country. In addition, disseminating information about education and situation of the education system is crucial for developing countries and building national agreement around an educational reform. Parents and citizens have to know what is planned to the system of the education, because it means for them and their children. And eventually, everyone needs to be aware of those situations, and no one have to forget about university systems in Tunisia, that also face problems as those of educational ones.
ZEINEB BEN SAAD