TEFL in Tunisia

Tunisia has turned to the British Council in an attempt to roll out an English Language Teaching development program in primary and secondary schools nationwide. The aim is to increase the number of school leavers having English as well as Arabic and French as a spoken language and to increase the interest of European investors and wealthy Gulf countries. Teaching English takes second place to Tunisia’s second language French, does not currently start until year five and can be as little as three hours a week. The British Council last month agreed to help develop the English Teaching Programme as part of the former French colonies complete overhaul of its education system, in an attempt to tackle the rise in youth unemployment. This will start next year and is expected to run for up to 10 years. The British Council hopes to gain more partner countries and develop similar English language teaching programmes throughout the Middle East.