Tunisia: Official defends education council appointments amid controversy

Ridha Zahrouni, president of the Tunisian Association of Parents of Students, is pushing back against public controversy surrounding recent appointments to the Superior Council of Education and Teaching. He argues that the outcry stems from a misunderstanding of the legal provisions governing the institution.

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The controversy surrounding the recent appointments within the superior body of the Superior Council of Education and Teaching stems from an ignorance of the legal provisions that govern this institution.

Zahrouni took to Facebook to counter the wave of reactions by emphasizing the council's legal, structural, and historical foundations. He traced its origins back to 1888 as the "Public Instruction Council" during the beylical era, noting its subsequent transformations into the "Superior Council of National Education" in 1958, and later iterations, including its current name adopted in the 2022 Constitution. These changes, he explained, reflect adjustments driven by political and organizational reforms within Tunisia's education system.

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These successive evolutions reflect the adjustments imposed by the political and organizational reforms of the Tunisian education system.

The council's scope extends beyond school education to encompass teaching, scientific research, vocational training, and employment prospects. According to Article 135 of the Constitution, its primary role is to advise on the broad directions of public policies in these interconnected sectors. Zahrouni stressed that the council does not infringe on the prerogatives of relevant ministries, operating at a strategic level distinct from day-to-day management.

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The Council's field of competence is not limited to school education; it also covers teaching, scientific research, vocational training, and employment prospects.

He detailed the current structure, which includes a superior body with rotating ministerial presidency, supported by two committees, fourteen experts, and nine evaluators. Additional permanent or temporary commissions and external experts can also be involved. Zahrouni clarified that the recent appointments only affect the secretary-general and some members of the superior body, proposed by the ministries. The full composition of the council, including expert and evaluation committee members and a union representative, is yet to be finalized. Only after this process can the council issue opinions and positions with complete information.

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The current structure provides for a superior body, chaired in turn by one of the seven ministers who are its permanent members.