Educational inspector Khalifa ben Nasser linked the education crisis to the country’s general crisis, stressing that reform requires political will, transparent management, and sufficient resources. (Statements to The New Arab)
He explained that these elements are not present in the current reality, noting that the corruption that has affected the Ministry of Education—particularly the sentencing of a former minister to prison in a case of embezzling funds for textbook printing—reflects the depth of the crisis and undermines trust.
He considered that cases like these cause citizens to lose trust in official authorities, making any government promises of reform seem out of reach.
He emphasized the possibility of change, describing the move towards local printing, despite its problems, as a positive step that can be built upon if the matter is handled with a spirit of responsibility and oversight.
He concluded that this could be the beginning of tackling corruption, provided it is followed by other steps, the most important of which is teacher training, as they are the backbone of any reform plan.