About Tunisia Education
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Enrollments within
the tertiary sector have been growing exponentially since the passing
of the higher education law of 1969, and they are expected to
continue to grow at a sustained rate over the next ten years (see
University Section for enrollment figures).
In academic year 1990-91, the New Education Act introduced a reformed educational structure which increased the length of instruction at the primary and secondary levels from 12 years to a total of 13, and mandated that the first nine years of education be compulsory. Reform and restructuring plans within the higher education sector are currently under discussion and are aimed at realigning tertiary training to be more in tune with the needs of the workplace, while also being more internationally comparable and transferable (see ‘LMD’ Reform section). The Ministry of Education supervises basic and secondary education, and the Ministry of Higher Education is responsible for the supervision and regulation of tertiary education. Responsibility for the supervision and administration of education at technical institutions falls under the portfolio of the most relevant ministry. Private schools exist at all levels in Tunisia although within the school system instructional standards are generally considered to be inferior to standards in the public system. Private institutions of higher education are becoming increasingly common and tend to offer training in professional and vocational fields such as business, information and communications technology, and tourism. The Private Higher Education Law of 2000 mandates that diplomas from all private schools approved (agréé) by the Ministry of Higher Education be recognized by public universities for admission into second and third cycle programs, or by public sector institutions for employment purposes. The academic year runs from October to June and première session (first session) examinations are held at the end of June or in early July; for those who fail, a deuxième session (second session, or re-takes) is scheduled in September each year. The official language of instruction at the school level is Arabic; French is introduced as a foreign language in the third year of school studies. Many technical subjects are taught in French beginning in the secondary cycle and to a greater extent at the tertiary level. |
