Tunisia‘s Education โคSystem Reveals Deepening Inequalities
Tunis,Tunisia – A widening chasm in educational opportunity is fracturing Tunisia’sโ system,with private schools offering significantly improved student-teacher ratios โคand learning โฃconditions largely inaccessible to the majorityโข of the population,a Nawaat inquiry reveals. The disparity underscores a system failing to deliverโค equitable access to quality education, potentially jeopardizing future โgenerations.
The reportโ highlights a stark contrast between public โand โขprivate institutions.โ Private schoolsโฃ boastโ a considerably lower studentโ density – 18.8 students per class – compared toโค their public counterparts. This translates to more individualized attention, supported by a teacher-to-student ratio of โค11.7.At theโค secondary level, the trend continues:โ an average of 20.5 โขstudents per class in โขprivate schools, with a ratio of โข6.7 teachers per student, versus 15.6 in public schools. These figures demonstrate a clear advantage for students whose families can afford private tuition.
Beyond the โฃcore private system, a growingโ number of schools cater to families seeking โขinternational curricula – โFrench, British, and Canadian among โขthem. institutions like the International Franco-British School and the Canadian International School of Tunis are increasingly popular, but entry is โhighly competitive, requiringโ strong โacademicโ records, โขaptitude โขtests, and substantial fees. Tuition at the โฃCanadian International School of Tunis, for example, can reach 7,500 dinars annually for primary school.
This tiered system exacerbates existing inequalities based on geography,โค socioeconomic status,โค gender, and school type, โsolidifying structural disadvantages. โคDespite repeated promises, systemicโฃ educational reforms remain largely stalled, โฃhampered by political maneuveringโข and resulting in stagnation that disadvantages Tunisian students. The investigation underscores the urgent need for thorough reformโค to address these disparities and ensure equitable access to quality education for โคall.