Xenophobic protest in Tunis against schooling of migrant children
On Friday, August 28, 2026, a protest took place in front of the Ministry of Education in Tunis, opposing the enrollment of irregular sub-Saharan migrant children in Tunisian public schools. The demonstration, announced by the page "Idhaet" Enlightenments, which focuses on social and cultural issues in Tunisia, raised questions about the right to education for children regardless of their parents' administrative status. Protesters displayed signs with messages such as "No to settlement," "Our homeland is a red line," and calls for the "total and immediate departure of irregular migrants." Some signs linked the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees UNHCR logo with a crossed-out map of Tunisia, while others equated migration with "colonization." Participants sought clarification from the Ministry of Education regarding the legal basis, number of children involved, cost, and impact on school capacity and staff. Educator Adel Ben Rahmoun cited the poor state of school infrastructure and overcrowded classrooms as reasons why schools could not accommodate these students. The article highlights that while Tunisian public schools face real challenges like degraded infrastructure and lack of resources, these issues should not be used to deny children access to education. It emphasizes that children should not bear the consequences of their parents' administrative status, and their right to learn should not be a variable in political debates on immigration. The article also pos