Parliament began examining the 2026 budget of the Ministry of Education on Thursday, a notable increase of 656 million dinars. A session where the deputies questioned the capacity of the ministry to reform a sector under tension, between urgent needs in human resources, aging infrastructure and growing expectations of teachers.
A growing budget but under high expectations
The Education mission is allocated 8,700 million dinars for 2026, compared to 8,044 million the previous year. This increase of 8.16% is distributed between three major programs:
- Primary education: 3.233 billion dinars
- Basic and secondary education: 4.601 billion dinars
- Leadership, support and steering: 4.601 billion dinars
This budgetary framework immediately opened the debate on how these resources will support the reforms demanded for years: quality of education, overcrowding of classes, learning conditions and modernization of establishments.
Massive recruitment and regularization: a priority project
The year 2026 will be marked by an unprecedented human resources effort: 18,349 planned recruitments, representing 722.4 million dinars.
The key measures announced:
- Regularization of 4,811 primary school substitutes
- Recruitment of 2,601 holders of applied degrees in education (June 2024 class)
- Regularization of 9,026 secondary school substitutes
- Recruitment of 100 graduates from the Higher School of Teachers
- Regularization of 1,226 laboratory and management agents
- Gradual integration of canteen agents
These regularizations, expected for several years, were welcomed but also questioned by certain deputies, who fear increased pressure on the payroll and are worried about the real impact on educational quality.
Infrastructure: accelerated rehabilitation and creation of establishments
The investment budget reaches 717 million dinars, a significant increase compared to 2025. Among the priorities:
- 19 new establishments financed to the tune of 157 million dinars
- Rehabilitation of 464 schools and high schools, for 392.1 million dinars
- More than 51% increase in maintenance credits compared to last year
The deputies insisted on the often critical state of country schools: dilapidated rooms, faulty sanitary facilities, lack of equipment and difficulties of access.
Rural areas: priority to transport and digital equipment
To reduce territorial inequalities, the ministry announces:
- 141 million dinars for IT equipment and supplies
- Acquisition of 73 school buses to strengthen transport in rural areas
These measures must respond to early school leaving, which is particularly high in remote regions.
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