Tunis — A small ministerial council, chaired by Prime Minister Sarra Zaafrani Zenzri on Wednesday, focused on the issue of paramedical training in private higher education institutions.
According to an official statement, the council adopted a series of decisions, namely the repeal of two previous ministerial rulings from May 5, 2011, and June 7, 2012, which had suspended the issuance of licenses for establishing new private institutions in the paramedical education sector.
The government has decided to resume the licensing process for the creation of new private paramedical higher education institutions.
To ensure the quality and relevance of this expansion, the council instructed a number of key measures, including:
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Revising the regulatory framework (terms of reference) for establishing such institutions.
Setting maximum student intake capacities for all paramedical specializations, based on the availability of internships, qualified teaching staff, and national training needs.
The council also called for the development of a clear admissions framework for private institutions, taking into account applicants' academic performance, type of baccalaureate, and results of psychometric tests. Additionally, a specialized mapping of disciplines will be made available to guide the creation of programs based on national priorities.
Ensuring high-quality training was emphasized as a core objective. This includes:
Minimum academic standards for student admission.
Updated, modernized curricula.
Integration of simulation-based training, modern technologies, and foreign languages to meet both national and international standards.
The council stressed the importance of offering adequate and high-quality internships, employing experienced teaching and supervisory staff, and ensuring proper learning facilities.
To enforce these standards, the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research will conduct regular inspections of private institutions throughout the year. Additional measures will be implemented to regulate and reinforce oversight of the private paramedical education system, including requiring official recognition of offered specializations.
The council also called for the establishment of an internal quality assurance system within private paramedical institutions and proposed the formation of a technical committee made up of representatives from the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research.
This ad hoc committee will be tasked with:
Updating the regulatory framework.
Developing a national classification of paramedical specializations.
Recommending actions to strengthen oversight of the private paramedical education sector.
In her remarks, Prime Minister Sarra Zaafrani Zenzri underlined the strategic importance of the paramedical sector to Tunisia's healthcare system, describing it as a vital component in improving health services.
She praised the professionalism and competence of Tunisia's paramedical workforce, highlighting their achievements in both public and private sectors, nationally and internationally.
"These positive indicators are a strong incentive to support and empower paramedical professionals, and to create the best possible conditions for their success," she said.
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Touching on the right to health, the Prime Minister emphasized the importance of delivering high-quality training in all health-related disciplines and expanding access to healthcare services through training programs that integrate modern technologies to improve the performance and efficiency of the healthcare system.
The council also reviewed the main indicators that prompted the reassessment of the paramedical education file in the private sector. Chief among these are:
The urgent needs of the local job market, especially shortages noted in regional health directorates, particularly in nursing sciences.
The growing global demand for qualified paramedical professionals, as highlighted by the World Health Organization (WHO) statistics.
