Despite Dropout Rates, Students Who Left School Believe in Alternative Paths, Starting with the Second Chance School
Despite an improving school enrollment rate of 97.3%, the Tunisian education system is facing a persistent issue: dropout rates. According to the latest statistics from the National Institute of Statistics (INS), the phenomenon is on the rise, requiring an urgent reform of the educational system.
The Scope of the Problem: Alarming Figures
While the enrollment rate is encouraging, the dropout figures among young people are alarming. The first census by the INS reveals that 4.5% of the compulsory age group (6-16 years) has left the education system. Within this group, 3.5% have prematurely abandoned their studies. The governorates of Kairouan, Mahdia, and Kasserine are the most affected, with a school dropout rate of over 6% for this age group. Furthermore, 3.2% of 6-16 year olds, including 2% of 16-year-old children, are excluded from all education, training, or specialized care facilities.
Testimonies collected from young dropouts illustrate disappointment and wandering: "I was studying, but I followed my friend after he dropped out of the program"; "I stopped studying, hoping to find something else"; "I started over several times because I didn't study." According to the general supervisor and education expert, Tijani Gmati, tens of thousands of young people between 12 and 18 years old are not enrolled in any public or private educational institution or training center, a finding he describes as shocking.
An Educational System in Need of Overhaul
Experts agree that the major problem lies in the education system itself, which dates back to the 1960s. The system struggles to adapt to a rapidly changing world, marked by digitization and evolving pedagogical methods. To combat the scourge of dropout rates, experts emphasize the need for a comprehensive and applicable reform, beyond occasional discussions.
One of the important reform paths is to make school more attractive to students and to thoroughly review educational schedules and programs. A participatory vision, involving parents and the student themselves, is also considered essential.
Moreover, one of the many mechanisms put in place by the Ministry of National Education to reduce dropout rates is the Second Chance School. Another mechanism is a reintegration mechanism. For academic support, the catch-up program is designed for students who have been absent for a long time.
The Second Chance School: A Beacon of Hope
In response to the urgent need, the Ministry of Education has made progress in its reform plan, particularly with the launch of the Second Chance School project. This initiative is one of the flagship mechanisms aimed at reducing dropout rates by offering a path to social, educational, and economic reintegration for young people who have abandoned school.
The Second Chance School is an institution that caters to dropouts between 12 and 18 years old. It offers targeted and well-thought-out programs, delivered by specialists, focusing on psychological and vital support: activities and workshops for skill development; preparation for vocational training or returning to school.
This national project is being implemented in collaboration with the Ministry of Social Affairs and the Ministry of Vocational Training and Employment. Over 4,000 beneficiaries have been enrolled in this program since 2021. The initiative is perceived as a "beacon of hope" for young people who thought their doors were closed, offering them a new chance to "redraw their dreams."
Future Prospects
The Bab El Khadra Second Chance School is considered the mother school, the first core of the project. The initiative is expanding, with the imminent opening of a new regional branch in Béja and the construction of two other branches in the governorates of Nabeul and Mahdia. The ultimate goal is to generalize the Second Chance School in all governorates of the Tunisian Republic, providing a new start for all young dropouts.
The challenge remains significant, but the reforms undertaken and the innovative approach of the Second Chance School are opening up new avenues for the future of young Tunisians.
