One of the pupils of the Arab high school in Tunis thinks that these overflowing classes are «a big problem which has negative impact on the understanding of lessons. At the beginning of the year, the number of school pupils in one class room was never over 16 while today, it has reached 35.» she says. «Tables are not suitable, the teacher cannot be heard and cannot help us understand the lessons due to the screaming and excitement » she adds. The young female student says she tries to adapt to this atmosphere which she does not understand.
Another pupil, Ali Hakim is of the same opinion. According to him, «three pupils share the same table, the teacher cannot handle the kids and the school does not even house a playing ground ».
As a school parent, Abdel Karim Zamzam, criticises the anarchy and packed school, together with the indifference on the part of the teachers and the school management. «We just have renewed the school management staff», he said, «and despite this, yesterday after the pause, secondary school students refused to go back to class, they wanted to occupy another class room elsewhere and behave wildly in the area » he continued. Zamzam remarks that «without discipline, it is certain that there will be no learning ». He spells out the problems of the school: from the lack of teachers, the recruitment of a large number of unqualified professors, with the accent on quantity rather than quality.
Abdel Monem Ahmed Rajiaa, the recently appointed morning school director, says the building has not been erected as a school... «This was the headquarters of the Libyan Consulate. This explains much of the lack of comfort in classes which welcomes on average 25 pupils. School proposes primary and secondary level. It houses 860 pupils in two separate sessions, one in the morning and one in the afternoon», he added. «This was the only solution to care for all these kids who nearly all come from Libya. ».
The director notes «that everything is available at the school, books, science lab, drawings and stories … the only problem is the high number of kids in classes. We ensure this service and will continue until situation improves in Libya and we are recruiting the best professional teachers available. Teachers are never on leave, they don’t call in sick, and they spare no effort though they have not been paid since October».
The school director for the afternoon, Mohamed Ali Belaid, recognises that packed classes effects negatively on the learning processes. He explains that «in such conditions, teachers however excellent they are face real difficult conditions to do a decent job ». According to him, «the school has received last year 300 requests for registration of pupils, but this year, the number was double that ». Hence «this is now an emergency to find a second school or a bigger building».
Belaid adds that the most difficult moment is in between the morning and afternoon sessions. Then, «the atmosphere is without control, school cannot be managed, it becomes impossible to move around with 860 pupils who find themselves in the same building not knowing who is who and what is what. You should see the tsunami in and out the school building ».
The President of the Commission of provisory Libyan schools in Tunisia, Ahmed Al Amari Ali, said these schools have been created in 2013 under the decree n° 187 of the Council of Minister. Following the discussions with Tunisian authorities, 5 schools have been created in Tunis, Hammamet, Sousse, Sfax and Mehdia. But then, only 650 pupils registered. Hence, with a view to strengthen quality, it was decided to reduce to 3 the number of schools. So, the schools of Tunis, Hammamet and Sousse were kept. The schools of Sfax and Mehdia were merged. He said: «there was even talk to close the school of Hammamet. But recent events in Tripoli have led many Libyan families to seek shelter in Tunisia». With such and exodus, the school welcomed 1884 ne pupils. Certain classes found themselves with 45 students.
«We asked the government to help find a solution to the problem, either in increasing the number of classes or by building a new school. But the current situation in the country prevents a right decision to be taken. And there again, the same situation prevents the teachers to be paid for months» he explained.
Excessive numbers in school is not the only educational problem for Libyan refugees in Tunisia. Once they graduate, Libyan pupils have no access to Tunisian universities as most of them ignore French language.
