Nabiha Kamoun Tilili: Kindergartens Face Significant Challenges
Nabiha Kamoun Tilili, President of the Chamber of Kindergartens and Nurseries, confirmed today, Wednesday, September 10, 2025, that kindergartens are facing significant difficulties. She emphasized that several of them have not welcomed any children to date in a number of governorates.
Competition from Private Schools
In her intervention on the show "Al-Sharia Al-Tounisi" (The Tunisian Street), Kamoun Tilili explained that there is strong competition from other educational institutions, such as private schools that welcome children from the age of less than three in what is called "pre-preparatory", four years for preparatory, and five years for the preparatory class, wondering: "What is left for kindergartens?" She also noted that some families, due to their financial situation, prefer to entrust their children to their grandmother or a neighbor.
Closure of Kindergartens
She added that all these factors have led to the closure of many kindergartens, specifying that 500 kindergartens closed during the 2024-2025 school year, and expects a significant decline in their number for the current year.
Solution in the Hands of the President
Kamoun Tilili affirmed that the solution is in the hands of the President of the Republic, Kaïs Saïed. She highlighted that the 2002 law authorized the Ministry of Education to integrate children of five years into schools. However, she added that the proliferation of private schools that welcome children of five years, without active participation from the Ministry of Education, represents a major challenge, considering that the ministry does not react effectively to this phenomenon.
Regulatory Framework
She explained that the specifications only apply to kindergartens and not to private schools or Quranic schools, adding that "Quranic schools have today disguised themselves as kindergartens". She called for kindergartens to remain the exclusive place for children of five years, emphasizing that modern scientific studies warn against the early introduction of children into traditional educational systems.
Importance of Kindergartens
She concluded by emphasizing that the kindergarten is the most suitable environment for the child on intellectual and physical levels, noting that its costs are high and that tuition fees must cover these expenses in an adequate manner.
