In Tunisia, acts of aggression and violence in and around educational establishments are on the increase.
This violence in schools is all the more worrying because it is not only between peers, but also against teachers, who are increasingly exposed to physical and verbal aggression from pupils and, more seriously, from their parents.
For this reason, the fight against violence in schools must involve all those working in the field of children, who, instead of scattering their efforts, must direct them in the same direction so that the measures to be taken are more effective in promoting children’s interests and meeting their needs.
Instead of setting up youth centers that are empty because their activities do not attract children, all efforts should be concentrated on developing activities, mainly within educational establishments, that meet the expectations of pupils in terms of leisure, sport, culture (…).
Mohamed Essafi: 23,800 cases of violence recorded!
The General Secretary of the Secondary Education Union, Mohamed Essafi, has described the situation in Tunisian schools as “catastrophic” due to the increase in school violence.
In a statement broadcast on Mosaïque FM on Monday, December 9, he pointed out that violence has become a daily reality in many schools across the country, particularly in urban areas and large cities, as opposed to rural and interior regions.
He stressed the need to “sound the alarm in schools”, saying that Tunisia had reached a level of violence in schools that could no longer be ignored.
Essafi also spoke of a real lack of will to combat the phenomenon.
The figures confirm the seriousness of the situation: 23,800 cases of violence were recorded during the school year 2022-2023.
Of these cases, 312 were classified as serious and mainly targeted teachers. Violence increased by 19% between 2023 and 2024, an indicator that should not be ignored.
Tunisia now ranks second in the Mediterranean region in terms of school violence, a situation Essafi says he deeply regrets.
He cited examples of recent violent behavior in schools, including an incident at a school in Tozeur where pupils brought a snake into the classroom and put it on the teacher’s desk, creating a situation of terror.
What are the causes of this violence?
Essafi explained that there are several reasons for this violence, including family problems linked to the increase in divorce, psychological problems, and economic and social factors such as poverty. He also mentioned crime around schools, especially drug trafficking.
He also spoke of the pernicious influence of external interference in education, in particular the easy complaints made by parents against teachers, which are often referred to child protection authorities and anti-violence forces, further undermining the authority of teachers.
He concluded by pointing out that the social fabric, once a model, has changed greatly in recent years and that the current situation has never been more serious.
