Financing for equity in primary and secondary education
1. Education resources to subnational governments
2. Education resources to schools
3. Education resources to students and families
4. Social policies and family support programmes
Introduction
In Tunisia, the Ministry of Education holds primary responsibility for financing and overseeing education budgets. While basic education is centrally managed, operational responsibilities are delegated to 24 regional education directorates (المندوبيات الجهوية للتربية) established under Law No. 2010-2205. These directorates handle fund distribution to schools, manage local administrative and financial matters, and implement programmes. However, they remain under strict central oversight for major decisions, such as teacher appointments and large-scale projects.
Education financing follows a centralised system. The national budget allocates funds to the Ministry of Education, which then distributes resources to regional directorates for operational costs such as utilities, books, and minor maintenance. Major expenses, including salaries and large infrastructure projects, are centrally controlled, with regional directorates required to submit budget proposals for approval. International donors like the EU and World Bank support specific initiatives but contribute less than 1% of total funding. Regional directorates manage the day-to-day operations of schools.
1. Education resources to subnational governments
The Ministry of Education allocates funds to regional directorates based on factors such as student numbers, infrastructure needs, and regional disparities. These directorates then distribute resources to schools for operational costs like utilities, maintenance, and books. However, major expenses such as teacher salaries and large infrastructure projects remain under central control. Subnational governments lack full financial autonomy and must submit budget proposals to the Ministry for approval.
The main equity-focused mechanism in Tunisia is a centralized allocation formula that considers student enrollment (prioritizing regions with a high concentration of school-aged children), poverty levels (targeting disadvantaged areas such as rural and inland regions), infrastructure gaps (providing extra funds to schools lacking basic facilities like electricity and digital tools), and regional disparities (e.g., coastal vs. inland regions). Prior to 2020, funding to regional directorates was based largely on centralised administrative decisions that addressed some operational needs but lacked a formal equity-based formula.
2. Education resources to schools
School resources are allocated through a centralised system, with the Ministry of Education distributing funds to regional directorates based on factors like student enrollment, poverty levels, and infrastructure gaps. The directorates then provide schools with operational funds for utilities, maintenance, and books.
Education Inclusion for Children with Disabilities Programme
Tunisian schools receive funding for inclusion through a blend of national government budgets, coordinated ministerial planning, substantial international aid (especially from the EU, EIB, and UN agencies), and targeted NGO support. The country began promoting inclusive education in 2003–2004 with the launch of the National Programme for the Integration of Children with Disabilities. Law No. 2005-83 guaranteed the right to education and required inclusive practices in public schools. In 2012, a European-funded project led by FIIAPP supported access to education as part of broader socio-economic integration. In July 2019, the Ministry of Education introduced tailored preparatory classes in primary schools for children with special needs aged 5 to 8. Schools also benefit from this funding through infrastructure upgrades to ensure accessibility, specialised training for staff, learning materials and adaptive equipment.
The School Recovers the Dropouts Programmme
The School Recovers the Dropouts programme, part of Tunisia’s 2016–2020 National Education Reform Strategy, helps reintegrate youth who have left formal education by offering flexible pathways back to school or vocational training. Targeting vulnerable children at risk of social marginalisation, it uses a national database to identify dropouts and develop tailored support plans, including school supplies, digital tools, and psychological assistance. Coordinated across ministries of education, social affairs, childhood, and vocational training, the programme also improves school environments through better infrastructure, teacher support, and extracurricular activities to encourage student retention.
The Priority Schools Programme, part of the School Recovers the Dropouts programme, targets high dropout and repetition rates in underserved areas using a data-driven approach to identify and support struggling schools. In 2019, the Ministry of Education partnered with UNICEF and others to launch the M4D Programme, which introduced school-based counselling services and external second-chance centres to re-engage out-of-school adolescents. These efforts aim to reduce dropouts, close achievement gaps, and promote a more equitable education system.
3. Education resources to students and families
Educational Grant & School Services Support Programme
The Ministry of Education’s support programme provides direct assistance to vulnerable students through school grants, free meals, and lodging services. Aimed at reducing dropout rates and promoting equal access to education, it targets children from low-income families, orphans, and students in underserved regions. The programme operates via a national digital platform and prioritizes the most socially disadvantaged cases. It is a key part of the 2016–2020 National Education Reform Strategy.
4. Social policies and family support programmes
Income Transfers National Programme for Assistance to Needy Families (PNAFN)
The National Programme for Assistance to Needy Families (PNAFN), established in 1986 under the Structural Reform Programme, supports poor and low-income Tunisian families and legally residing foreigners. Beneficiaries receive financial transfers, temporary support determined by the Social Affairs and Finance Ministers, and free healthcare in public institutions. The programme also provides access to housing, vocational training, employment, regional development, education, and social empowerment initiatives. Targeting families below the absolute poverty line, especially those with unemployed, disabled, or unsupported members, PNAFN aims to ensure basic needs and promote economic integration in line with the Social Security Law “AMEN.”
Launched in 2019, the AMEN Social programme supports disadvantaged, poor and low-income individuals and families facing multidimensional deprivation in income, health, education, housing, and access to services. Its goals are to prevent and reduce poverty, promote social justice, ensure access to basic services, and enhance economic empowerment and self-reliance for long-term inclusion. Beneficiaries include Tunisians and legally residing foreigners, selected transparently based on a deprivation-based scoring model developed by the Ministry of Social Affairs, prioritising vulnerable groups and underserved regions. Eligibility, benefits, and appeal procedures are defined by government decree.
Social Promotion Programmes primarily support poor, low-income, and disabled individuals, as well as those at risk or lacking family support, with eligibility largely based on affiliation with the AMEN social security system. These programmes aim to improve educational access and retention for vulnerable groups through targeted financial assistance.
Grants to Children of Needy Families Benefiting from Cash Transfers are provided to children from families receiving support under the AMEN programme. The grant is unconditional for children under 18, while those aged 18 to 25 must present proof of continued education, training, or apprenticeship. The amount is doubled (20 dinars) for children with disabilities. Required documentation includes birth certificates and school attendance or academic records. Grant provisions are governed by a joint decree from the Ministers of Social Affairs and Finance.
Grants to Go Back to School and University offer 50 dinars per child to assist poor and low-income families with back-to-school expenses. The grant applies to students at all levels of education, including vocational training, and is paid once annually before the academic year begins. Eligibility is based on current AMEN benefits or compliance with relevant government decree conditions, with documentation such as attendance or academic records required.
Grants under the School Social Action Programme support students from poor and low-income families facing serious financial or health difficulties. The assistance covers school supplies, transport subscriptions, essential needs like food and clothing, medications for chronic illnesses, medical treatments, and contributions toward assistive equipment, including integration devices and batteries for prosthetic aids.
5. School meal programmes
Tunisia’s government school meal programme, active since 1956 and formally mandated in 2002, primarily targets primary school children in rural, low-income, and underserved areas, especially those at risk of dropping out. Funded mainly by the Ministry of Education through the Office of School Services, with occasional support from UNICEF and WFP, the programme provides nutritious lunches aligned with national health standards. Nutritionists guide menu planning and food safety, while efforts focus on using local ingredients and improving canteen infrastructure and meal quality.
This profile was reviewed by Rim Lahmandi-Ayed, Full Professor in Economics at the Higher School of Statistics and Information Analysis.
