The Tunisian authorities have shut down an unlicensed nursery in Sayada, a town in the governorate of Mahdia, after a video surfaced on social media showing a child being abused by a woman inside the facility. The closure was carried out by the general police force in the presence of the regional delegate. According to Habiba Jamaa, head of the regional union for nurseries and childcare in Mahdia, the facility was operating illegally and had been open for only a short period.
Jamaa stated that the facility was not a licensed nursery, but rather a makeshift and chaotic space that had been operating without proper authorization. The authorities had been monitoring the situation and decided to close the facility temporarily pending completion of the necessary legal procedures. Jamaa also revealed that the owner of the facility had previously operated an unlicensed school, which had been ordered to close but continued to operate.
The video that sparked the closure showed a child being subjected to violence by a woman inside the nursery, raising concerns about the safety and well-being of children in such facilities. Jamaa emphasized that the authorities must take action to monitor and regulate unlicensed childcare facilities, which pose a risk to children's safety.
Jamaa called on the authorities to activate a committee to monitor unlicensed childcare facilities and take action against those that operate outside the law. She also stressed the need for stricter regulations and monitoring to prevent such incidents from happening in the future.
The closure of the nursery in Sayada highlights the challenges faced by authorities in regulating the childcare sector, particularly in rural and semi-urban areas. The incident also raises questions about the effectiveness of existing regulations and the need for greater oversight to ensure children's safety.
The Tunisian authorities have been working to improve the regulatory framework for childcare facilities, including the establishment of a national platform for the marketing of women's products. However, more needs to be done to address the issue of unlicensed facilities, which continue to operate in many parts of the country.
The incident in Sayada serves as a reminder of the importance of ensuring that childcare facilities are safe and well-regulated. The authorities must take a proactive approach to monitoring and regulating these facilities to prevent incidents of abuse and neglect.
Key points
- The Tunisian authorities have shut down an unlicensed nursery in Sayada after a video showed a child being abused.
- The facility was operating illegally and had been open for only a short period.
- The authorities have been called on to activate a committee to monitor unlicensed childcare facilities.
