NO MARMITE IN TUNISIA

SCHOOLING

Nursery School
Schooling starts after the child's 6th birthday. Before that, nursery schools are cheap and plentiful with children usually starting at the age of 3.

First Day At Nursery School, Beni Khiar, Tunisia, Autumn 2006

Primary School
There are 6 years in the first school, meaning the child usually begins senior school at the age of 12. The child will receive a report at the end of each term and will need to pass a mini test at the end of each school year to pass onto the next year. A bigger more important exam is taken to enable you to move up to senior school. If the child passes this, it is a tradition amongst the Tunisians to throw a big celebration!! I walked passed one such celebration and was invited in off the street to celebrate the child's achievement with his proud parents. It used to be the case that if the child was constantly failing the tests and not moving up to the next year, he or she could no longer attend a mainstream school and would have to pay to attend a private school, but most schools no longer practise this and guarantee an education for the child to a certain age.

Language Learning
Arabic is studied from year 1, French from year 3 and English from year 5.  Another further language is studied at the Lycee.  Children are taught to be fluent, not to just have a knowledge of the language.  As you can imagine Tunisian children can become highly competent in languages.  Initially, your British child can sit back and relax during year 5 when the Tunisian children first begin learning English.  One of my children used to attend these lessons before she reached year 5 so that the Tunisian children could tell her the Arabic meaning to the English words they were learning.  But if your child is too complacent he may find that the Tunisian child becomes "well good" and better at English than his British "bruvver" sat next to him!!

Lycee
When children are 14 and in the third year at senior school, a general examination needs to be passed again to enable them to move up a year.  Another year of normal education is given, followed by three year's of specialised education in a chosen field.

International Schools
The American Cooperative School in Tunis provides education in English. http://www.acst.net/ 
The International School of Carthage, opens it doors in the term 2007 - 2008.  It is open to all nationalities and offers American and French curriculums.  For more information email  iscarthage@planet.tn     Telephone 71740700.

French Speaking Schools In Tunisia
Turn to this website for a list of French speaking primary schools and lycees in Tunisia.  Simply press on "contacts" on the panel on the left hand side and then click on Ecoles francaises.
http://www.ac-versailles.fr/etabliss/lyc-flaubert-lamarsa/cadre/Frameset.htm

Tunisian Private Schools
There are some excellent Tunisian private schools, often with more facilities than the state schools.  Many expat children attend these as they are able to receive extra help with learning the Arabic and French languages and have the advantage of mixing with many other nationalities also.

Home Schooling
If you home-school your children, English GCSEs or the IGCSE (International GCSE) examinations can be taken with the British Council in Tunis who will be happy to provide you with any information that you may need.  You may also study for your degrees in Tunisia and sit these examinations with the British Council.
http://www.topmarks.co.uk/Default.aspx?Subject=13   Go on set your children some homework now!!

Documents Your Children Will Need To Attend School In Tunisia

• Remember to bring your little red book or anything else with you which indicates which innoculations your children have had.  The schools will need this, but remember to emphasise to the school which jabs your children have had.  In the UK the children have the MMR (measles mumps and rubella) jab just before they start school at age 4.  In Tunisia, unless you notify the school, your child will be given the single measles jab at age 6.  MMR is not given in Tunisia, but your child will not need this single measles jab if he/she has already had the MMR.
• An official letter from the school in Britain or Education authority as to how many years your child has attended school and to what level he/she has reached
• Little passport sized photographs - these can be done very cheaply at local photographers in Tunisia
• Copy of your child's birth certificate (may need to be translated into Arabic).  Plenty of translators in Tunisia.

Returning To Live In Tunisia
Children of Tunisian workers abroad who return to the country to live will often find that Tunisia goes out of its way to accommodate them in everything including getting your children into the school of your choice.   

Language Tuition
There are many language schools in Tunisia to brush up on your French or Arabic skills. One such school based in Hammamet offers language lessons or language holidays. More information can be obtained from their website.      http://www.holiday-study.com/

You may also find, as I did, teachers at your child's school more than willing to give extra Arabic language lessons for a fraction of the price paid at some of the language schools.

The European College in Sousse offers many different language courses as well as internationally certified courses in hospitality, travel and tourism.  Private tuition can be arranged.  There are courses for children and summer camps.  Accommodation is available.  http://www.theeuropeancollege.com/

Online Free Beginner's Arabic Lessons
http://www.madinaharabic.com/Index.htm

Online French Language site
http://www.zut.org.uk/index.html  Great site, free after 4pm weekdays and all weekend.

Autumn Term 2006,  Beni Khiar,  Tunisia

School Books
All school text books, exercise books, pens, pencils, glue, paint etc, must be paid for.  School uniform is not as expensive as in the UK - all schools including the lycee for older children require their pupils to wear only overalls, navy or beige for boys and navy or pink for girls, over their own clothes.  All of these items, except text and exercise books can be bought from libraries.  Markets also sell quite cheaply or towns sometimes hold special school book/clothing fairs near the start of the Autumn term.

School Discipline
Tunisian teachers stand no nonsense!  From the first year upon entering school at age 6, children are likely to receive the stick on the back of their hand if they are messing about, not paying attention, or talking in class.  Therefore Tunisian children learn very quickly and work very hard!  They very soon become polite, well spoken children, leaving their pre-school days of stone throwing and irritating comments to newcomers, such as myself, behind!

Homework
From the first day in school at age 6, homework is given every night!

School Hours and Curriculum
I have only had the experience of primary school in Tunisia with my children.  The schooling has proved very different to what we were accustomed to in England. 

Every morning school starts with the raising of the Tunisian flag in the playground and the singing of the Tunisian National Anthem.

School days are half days, usually from 8.00am until 12.00/1.00pm or 12.00/1.00pm until 5.00pm.  Some classes work a half day on Saturday.  Break consists of a quick 10 minutes.  With the school hours arranged like this, it has proved beneficial to an expat family such as mine, as at the opposite end of the day in which the children are not at school, we have been able to fit in extra Arabic lessons to improve their knowledge of this language, or extra lessons to keep up with reading and writing of their own English language!

Sport doesn't seem to feature very much in the lower years at all, but I have heard the children do participate in it more as they get older.  In Year 1 the curriculum places a strong emphasis on Arabic reading and writing, mathematics and religious education.  Different subjects are introduced in the following years.  Summer holidays last from mid June to mid September, which of course the children love!

Universities
Passing the Baccalaureate with a good mark should enable you to apply for one of the different universities based in Tunisia.  Many children at these universities studying to become scientists, teachers, or doctors for example, also spend some of their university years abroad training in Europe, Canada or America before returning to practise their profession in their home country.

Universite Libre de Tunis
Language department  http://www.ult-eil.org/index.html

".........I thought it may be interesting for those who are thinking of moving to Tunisia with children to hear of a comparison of Tunisian state primary schools, to English state primary schools, mentioning both 'good' and the 'not quite so good' things about both!

Tunisian education is fast, furious, intensive and very strong.  It doesn't matter that kids begin at 6 instead of 4, as they soon catch up and end up miles ahead of their English counterparts.  Language teaching is very good, Arabic at 6, French at 8, and English from age 10.  In as little as 2 years the French is practically at O Level standard and beyond!

Facilities are very basic, the primary schools do not have large sports fields or gyms, or computers to every class, in fact the schools that I have seen you will be lucky to have 2 or 3.  Toilets are usually the basic "hole in the floor!"  Desks are arranged in rows facing the board, like 1950s Britain (although there is much debate now in the UK that this is and has always been the best method and seating arrangement for teaching kids!)

Discipline is strong.  The law is that teachers cannot hit the children, but they do.  Only you can decide for yourself whether you think this is a plus or not, but it does seem to curb the ill behaviour that British school kids suffer from.  On the whole the children are politer (you do get the odd one!) and bullying alot less frequent than in Britain.

There is no school secretary and no letters.  Children are expected to repeat the teacher's instructions to their parents ( I can hear you laughing now!)  The result being, several weeks later, I may learn something important that should have been told to me!

Technically if you don't do well in your end of term tests, children can be made to repeat that year.  Due to the very strong teaching, and the extra Arabic tuition, helpfully found for my children from the school, my children have gone up to the next year each September, and come home as pleased as punch with their reports and certificates........!"

Conclusion

• Basic Facilities
• School Secretaries Needed
• Very Strong And Intensive Teaching
• Less Bullying and Politer Children
• I am pleased with the level of education for the children, but I am disappointed that due to the language barrier, I cannot play a larger role in my children's school life.  On the other hand, if I was Tunisian and sending my children to school in England, I strongly believe that I would face the same problem and more, as it would be unusual to find an Arabic speaking teacher at an English primary school, who would be able to help me out!