What fuels the outrage in Tunisian schools after three students die under a collapsed wall?

Al Bawaba

18-04-2025

ALBAWABA- Tunisia is witnessing a wave of nationwide protests after the tragic deaths of three students in the city of Mazouna, Sidi Bouzid governorate, when a wall at their secondary school collapsed on April 14, 2025. Also Read Iran kills Army of Justice commander in Zahedan operation
The incident has reignited long-standing anger over the crumbling state of public infrastructure and the government's perceived negligence, drawing condemnation from both domestic actors and international human rights organizations.
These organizations urged Tunisian authorities to stop their heavy-handed crackdown on peaceful demonstrators. "Rather than showing remorse or offering accountability, the government responded with indifference, deflecting blame and offering tone-deaf justifications," they added.
When citizens took to the streets to express their grief and outrage, they were met not with empathy but with tear gas and police repression.
In a show of solidarity, all preparatory and secondary schools across Tunisia suspended classes last Tuesday.
The strike was led by the Secondary Education Union, part of the Tunisian General Labour Union (UGTT), to denounce the state's abandonment of its responsibilities toward public education.
The union criticized the authorities for ignoring repeated warnings about deteriorating infrastructure and for failing to provide even basic safety measures in government-run schools.
Taher Hajlawi, a former union official, called the incident a tragic yet inevitable result of years of state negligence. He emphasized that many schools, particularly in underserved interior regions, are in dangerous disrepair, despite frequent union alerts and calls for reform. Also Read US ambassador prays at Western Wall with message penned by Trump
The victims, aged 18 and 19, were killed instantly when a decaying wall gave way. Several other students sustained injuries. The horrific event sparked both local demonstrations and national outrage, putting a spotlight on the desperate need for infrastructure reform.
Social media has become a space of mourning and protest. Many users lashed out at the Tunisian governments that have come and gone since the 2011 revolution, accusing them of ignoring the educational sector's decay.