Tunisia Preparatory Education Syllabus - Civics (Grades 7-9)

Course Overview: Civics education in Tunisia aims to cultivate responsible citizens equipped with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary for active participation in a democratic society. The curriculum emphasizes the importance of understanding one's rights and responsibilities, engaging in civic life, and promoting values such as tolerance, equality, and peaceful conflict resolution. The program integrates these concepts across different grade levels, building upon foundational knowledge and progressively developing more complex understandings of civic participation.

Grade 7:

• Living in the Family: This unit explores the family as the primary space for learning values such as solidarity and participation. It emphasizes the importance of gender equality within the family structure, reflecting Tunisia's commitment to equal rights and responsibilities for all family members. The curriculum also highlights the importance of effective communication within the family to minimize conflict and promote harmonious relationships.
• Living at School: This unit focuses on fostering a sense of belonging and pride in one's school. It emphasizes the connection between rights and duties in a collective environment, encouraging students to respect the rules of school life and engage positively with their peers and teachers. The curriculum promotes the development of essential life skills such as teamwork, conflict resolution, and critical thinking.
• Living in the Community: This unit introduces the concept of community life and the importance of laws in maintaining social order. It emphasizes the role of citizens in shaping laws and participating in public life. The curriculum encourages students to prioritize the public interest over personal gain and to reject intolerance and violence.

Grade 8:

• The Child as a Participant in Public Life: This unit emphasizes the role of children in civic life, promoting their right to participate in decision-making processes at both local and national levels. It encourages students to develop dialogue skills, engage in group work, and resolve conflicts peacefully. The curriculum draws upon the Convention on the Rights of the Child, highlighting the importance of children's voices in shaping their communities.
• Participation in Organizations: This unit explores the role of organizations, including political parties and associations, in a democratic society. It introduces concepts such as regularity, pluralism, and the peaceful transfer of power. The curriculum encourages students to develop leadership skills, engage in critical thinking, and appreciate the benefits of organized participation in civic life.
• Participation through Elections: This unit focuses on the importance of elections in a democratic system. It provides students with knowledge about electoral processes and encourages them to develop a mature electoral behavior, free from coercion and manipulation. The curriculum emphasizes the role of elections in realizing democracy, pluralism, and the peaceful transfer of power.

Grade 9:

• General Framework of the Citizen: This unit explores the concepts of citizen, nation, and citizenship, emphasizing the various dimensions of citizenship, including legal, political, and social aspects. The curriculum fosters national pride and encourages students to understand their roles and responsibilities within the Tunisian state.
• Freedom and Responsibility: This unit examines the relationship between freedom and responsibility, highlighting the importance of exercising freedom within the boundaries of law and respecting the rights of others. The curriculum emphasizes that responsible freedom is essential for peaceful coexistence and active citizenship.
• Rights and Duties: This unit reinforces the interconnectedness of rights and duties, emphasizing that responsible citizenship requires both the enjoyment of one's rights and the fulfillment of one's obligations to society. The curriculum provides concrete examples of rights and duties, encouraging students to understand their importance in a democratic society.
• Equality and Tolerance: This unit focuses on the values of equality and tolerance, promoting respect for diversity and rejecting all forms of discrimination. The curriculum emphasizes the importance of equality before the law and encourages students to develop empathy and understanding towards others.