Scientific Workshops on Child Psychoanalysis Confirm the Need for a Child Psychiatrist or General Practitioner in Every Tunisian School
The lack of student listening and support in Tunisian schools has led to a growing concern about the well-being and academic success of students. Despite the importance of education in Tunisia, there is a significant gap between the demands of academic achievement and the emotional and moral well-being of students. The absence of psychological support and moral guidance in schools has become a major issue, affecting student performance, school climate, and mental health.
Alarming Findings
When schools become a source of frustration, students are not given the best chance to succeed. The Tunisian education system is facing high dropout rates, with approximately 100,000 students leaving school each year. While socioeconomic factors play a role, the deterioration of the school climate is also a significant contributor. Many young people surveyed in various studies report feeling "frustrated" and "unfulfilled" in their institutions.
This sense of unease is reflected in an increased prevalence of risk phenomena, including violence in schools, drug use, ideological extremism, clandestine migration, and, in the most severe cases, suicide among young people. These realities testify to a deep and poorly managed psychological distress.
A study on high school students and college students seeking psychopedagogical consultations reveals that these consultations are generally related to adaptation disorders, highlighting the need for preventive and ongoing support.
The Roots of the Problem
The lack of resources and inverted priorities have led to this situation. The deficit in moral and psychological guidance is explained by several structural factors, including a chronic shortage of specialized personnel. Schools are severely lacking in psychologists, guidance counselors, and social workers.
Recruitment efforts and competitions for these positions have failed to fill the gap. The education system remains focused on academic performance and knowledge accumulation, relegating socio-emotional development and mental well-being to the background.
Psychological consultation remains stigmatized in society, which hinders students' and sometimes families' demand for help. This creates a sense of stigma. Insufficient training of personnel is often noted, and teachers and administrative staff are rarely trained in psychological first aid or crisis management, limiting their ability to create a positive and secure school climate.
Remedying the Situation
Integrated solutions exist to address this issue. To reverse this trend and ensure students' right to good mental health, coordinated actions are necessary, including:
- Strengthening specialized human resources through massive recruitment and redeployment, significantly increasing the number of school psychologists and social workers to ensure their permanent presence in each establishment.
- Creating support units, such as the recent proposal for a law to create mental health support units in schools, which should be supported and funded by the state to provide confidential and anonymous services.
- Formally integrating socio-emotional learning (SEL) into the school curriculum, including training in social skills, stress management, critical thinking, and conflict resolution.
- Providing mandatory initial and ongoing training for all educational staff on signs of psychological distress, psychological first aid, and creating a supportive environment.
- Combating stigma through targeted national awareness campaigns for students, parents, and staff to normalize the demand for psychological help and break the taboo of mental illness.
- Exploiting intersectoral networks by setting up clear orientation systems between schools and public and community mental health structures to ensure rapid and effective specialized care.
The challenge is immense, but Tunisia's youth is the country's future. Investing in students' psychological and moral support is not a luxury, but a fundamental condition for building a resilient, fulfilled, and capable society to face tomorrow's challenges. Schools must once again become a place of integral development.
