Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06TUNIS452
2006-03-02 11:02:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Tunis
Cable title:  

TUNISIAN RESPONSE: COLLABORATING WITH

Tags:  EAID ECON PREL SENV KPAO TS 
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VZCZCXYZ0025
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHTU #0452/01 0611102
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 021102Z MAR 06
FM AMEMBASSY TUNIS
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9942
UNCLAS TUNIS 000452 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR OES/PCI (TOKMAN),NEA/PD (FERNANDEZ AND AGNEW),
AND NEA/MAG (LAWRENCE)

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID ECON PREL SENV KPAO TS
SUBJECT: TUNISIAN RESPONSE: COLLABORATING WITH
PREDOMINANTLY MUSLIM COUNTRIES IN SOUTH ASIA, NORTH AFRICA,
AND THE MIDDLE EAST IN BASIC SCIENCE AND MATHEMATICS
EDUCATION

REF: A. REF A: STATE 23320


B. REF B: 2005 TUNIS 2333

UNCLAS TUNIS 000452

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR OES/PCI (TOKMAN),NEA/PD (FERNANDEZ AND AGNEW),
AND NEA/MAG (LAWRENCE)

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID ECON PREL SENV KPAO TS
SUBJECT: TUNISIAN RESPONSE: COLLABORATING WITH
PREDOMINANTLY MUSLIM COUNTRIES IN SOUTH ASIA, NORTH AFRICA,
AND THE MIDDLE EAST IN BASIC SCIENCE AND MATHEMATICS
EDUCATION

REF: A. REF A: STATE 23320


B. REF B: 2005 TUNIS 2333


1. SUMMARY: Embassy Tunis welcomes the OES-led initiative
to develop targeted activities in support of basic science
and mathematics education, which are top priorities in
Tunisia. Opportunities I-V, presented in reftel A, are all
viable options for collaboration with Tunisian groups. In
addition to the GOT establishments, science clubs, youth
clubs, and the "Cite des Science" science museum are examples
of private/civil society organizations that would also
provide venues for this initiative. Embassy Tunis' Public
Affairs (PA) section is supportive of this initiative and is
willing to work with OES. However, given current personnel
and budget constraints, PA will need additional funding to
support in-country costs for advertising, outreach and
project implementation. Since this will be one of our first
projects in math or science for K-12, Embassy Tunis suggests
further study of Tunisia's current K-12 curriculum before
final implementation. As for specific suggestions on the
best curriculum of mathematics and sciences courses to be
offered, a more in-depth survey of the targeted groups would
need to be undertaken before Post can respond accurately. END
SUMMARY.


2. Embassy Tunis welcomes the OES-led initiative to develop
targeted activities in support of basic science and
mathematics education, which are top priorities in Tunisia.
Both the Ministry of Education (MOE) and Ministry of Higher
Education (MOHE) have expressed interest in improving the
teaching methods for these subjects. However, the MOE
schools currently follow the European system of integrated
math and science through grades K-12, which is quite
different from the U.S. system. Both subjects are taught in
Arabic until the equivalent of 9th grade, and thereafter in
French.


3. Opportunity I: The MOE will be most supportive of
programs that focus on capacity building for teachers and

trainers, and that include supplementary materials.
Curriculum reform is more sensitive, and the MOE is unlikely
to welcome involvement in this domain. Science clubs, the
university "technopoles," and other technical institutions
are likely partners and have long requested assistance from
the Public Affairs (PA) section at the Embassy. In-service
teacher training centers at the MOE would welcome workshops
and program development for teachers. PA has already
discussed this with several of the MOE training center
directors. There is also considerable interest in
professional exchanges, however, Tunisian participation would
increase dramatically if funding were provided.


4. Opportunities II, III, IV, V: Tunisian youth across the
country have access, even in rural areas, to youth clubs
which provide after-school activities and training. These
clubs would be an excellent starting point in Tunisia.
After-school sessions, or summer sessions would be most
effective when using Arabic-speaking teachers. Face-to-face
contact with a science & technology professional would be the
most effective, followed by videos and other materials. It
should be emphasized that for a youthful audience, videos
must be somewhat entertaining to capture the attention of
this audience, as many educational videos can be dull to
young people. One suggestion would be to model instruction
on the entertaining format of "Bill Nye, the Science guy," or
some other entertainment-oriented program. Also, the
secondary-level pilot project, "Virtual Schools of Tomorrow"
in Tunisia is focusing on integration of technology with math
and science.


5. Another area for collaboration is with the "Cite des
Science," which is a science fair/museum in the capital of
Tunis. This complex is under the authority of the MOHE, and
a partnership with the OES program could reach beyond
students to a large number of inquisitive and talented young
people and adults, as the center is open to the public. Any
proposal as to what should be offered needs to be cleared by
the GOT to achieve buy-on of the program, and the Ministry
must be able to clearly see the benefit for the groups
involved.


6. On the civil society side, there is an organization
called the Association of Young Scientists, which has worked
collaboratively with OES on NASA exchanges (See Reftel B).
They are active throughout the country and also have summer
camps which offer instruction to Tunisian children. Any of
the initiatives proposed in opportunities II-V would work in
all these private and civil society groups.
E





7. Embassy Tunis' PA section is supportive of this
initiative and is willing to work with OES. However, given
current personnel and budget constraints, PA will need
additional funding to support in-country costs for
advertising, outreach and project implementation. Since this
will be one of our first projects in math or science for
K-12, Embassy Tunis suggests further investigation/study of
K-12 curriculum before final implementation. As for specific
suggestions as to curriculum content of mathematics and
sciences courses, a more in-depth survey of the groups we
would work with would need to be undertaken.
HUDSON