“Reform of the education system will be based on promoting the role of the school in educating young people in the values of citizenship”, stressed Education Minister Mohamed Ali Boughdiri on Thursday.
In a statement to the media on the sidelines of his participation in the international forum on “education for citizenship and the values of tolerance” Boughdiri underlined the Ministry’s commitment to increasing the number of clubs for education in citizenship and environmental preservation, with a view to making them widespread across all educational establishments.
“It will also involve developing the working methods of these clubs and periodically assessing their performance”, he said, pointing out that the introduction of a new subject in educational programmes focusing on citizenship education is one of the main ideas that will be discussed when the process of reforming the education system is launched.
He went on to say that schools should prepare young people to participate in building a cohesive society based on justice, equity and equality in rights and duties, as well as on the values of peaceful coexistence.
“Indeed, citizenship education is an essential challenge for Tunisian schools”, he asserted.
For his part, Minister of Youth and Sports Kamel Deguiche stressed that citizenship education requires the strengthening of coordination between all players and the adoption of a participatory approach based on strategic dialogue between national institutions and civil society associations, with the aim of drawing up a national strategy for citizenship and human rights education.
For her part, Minister for the Family, Women, Children and the Elderly, Amel Belhaj Moussa, said that her ministry attaches great importance to early childhood and works through its various activities and programs to inculcate the values of citizenship, tolerance and acceptance of others despite differences.
She pointed out that, as part of the Ministry’s commitment to adopting the principle of equal opportunity and non-discrimination between children, it has set up 30 inclusive public kindergartens in 20 governorates for the benefit of 20,000 children.
In this context, she added that 300 autistic children have been integrated into early childhood establishments, pointing out that efforts are continuing to strengthen mechanisms aimed at guaranteeing access to education for all children, without discrimination.
Organised on June 8 and 9 by the Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organisation (ALECSO), the forum brings together Tunisian and foreign experts in the fields of education and culture.
Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse