Tunisia: Understanding Conflict 2012 - Johns Hopkins School of ...

een an increased need for labor in Tunisia, which in turn requires an educated
populace.
• Encourage private sector employment for skilled workers: The job security, high
wages, and benefits of the public sector generate a bias in favor of the public sector,
making employment in the private sector less attractive. As a result, university
graduates tend to target public sector jobs and choose to wait for jobs in the public
sector. To counter this, the government should encourage universities to
collaborate with firms to match job seekers and vacancies. Most of the job
opportunities in the private sector are for unskilled labor. For example, only eight
out of 100 jobs created in the tourism sector require a postsecondary degree. Thus,
universities need to work with the private sector to create opportunities for university
graduates.
• Develop internships and jobs board: Secondary training programs, internships,
and fellowships can also be developed though increased collaboration among
universities, firms, and students.
• Credit constraints: Currently, most businesses have limited access to capital both
debt and equity. Even though there are several microfinance institutions (MFI) and
commercial banks that provide loans, the government needs to make it easier for
both microfinance institutions and credit unions to extend loans to first-time
entrepreneurs. This includes but is not limited to improving and developing credit
information systems, credit guarantee programs, and much more. By developing and
facilitating credit and consumer information gathering, this will help reduce the risk
of doing business with young entrepreneurs and increase the flow of capital.
Medium-term
• Reforming the curriculum: Involve the private sector in redesigning the curriculum
for university education. This will not only help foster relationships between the
university and employers but also better match students’ education with the
employers needs. Emphasize technical skills such as language, computer science,
engineering, architecture, biology etc.
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