President of Republic calls on Education Minister to find urgent solutions for substitute teachers

Tunis: President Kais Saied called on Education Minister Saloua Abassi to find urgent solutions to the problem of substitute teachers, based on objective criteria, in order to put an end to this situation once and for all. He made these remarks, as she was sworn in at Carthage Palace on Tuesday, following her appointment on Monday to replace former minister Mohamed Ali Bougdiri. According to a statement issued by the presidency, the situation of substitute teachers would not have persisted if the choices had been «sound and sincere from the outset, and not infiltrated by political calculations based on superficial and situational solutions.» He stressed that it is high time to find a radical and definitive solution that respects the rights of teachers and young people alike. Reaffirming his commitment to promoting education as a sovereign sector, Saied said that there is no future for any people without public education, in which everyone has equal access to all the conditions for learning. "Education mus t not stop at mere learning, but must develop in young people the capacity to think". He added that education is not just a matter of receiving information and knowledge, taking exams or giving feedback, but is based on science and the continuous stimulation of thought in every field. The inclusion of the Higher Council for Education in the Constitution of July 25, 2022 stems from a deep sense of the place that the education sector should occupy, Kais Saied said. He added that the national consultation that was organised also reflects the belief that any reform in the sector must reflect the will of the national community and its aspirations and choices. In this context, the President of the Republic recalled several examples of Tunisia's experience in the field of educational reform, focusing in particular on the Education Law adopted in 1958 when the National Constituent Assembly was drafting the Constitution of June 1, 1959. Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse