The Ministry of National Education has issued a controversial official document regarding promotion to higher ranks, potentially excluding some employees from professional exams scheduled for July 11. The joint ministerial instruction number 01, dated April 23, 2026, intended to foster professional stability, is perceived by some employees as an "administrative guillotine." This instruction could effectively nullify years of experience and seniority for certain staff members. Ambiguous situations have arisen from the interpretation of Executive Decree No. 19-336, dated December 8, 2019, which concerns integration into various ranks and categories.
Exclusionary Promotion Criteria
For the promotion to "General Supervisor of Education," seniority from the "Chief Education Supervisor" integration rank is being combined with seniority from the "Education Supervisor" rank for a specific group of employees holding at least a license degree. Another group of employees, who performed the same tasks and held the same rank for years but were not part of the 2019 integration, have been excluded from this promotion. The current formula for advancement to higher ranks appears to be restricted to a limited number of integrated staff in middle and secondary education levels. Many educational supervisors, particularly those integrated into the primary level, face exclusion despite their long service, accumulated experience, and university degrees.
The recent instruction may also exclude teachers from all three educational levels—primary, middle, and secondary—from the "Educational Institution Director" competition, specifically affecting the 2016 cohort and earlier. This exclusion is attributed to a legal loophole in Article 7 of the circular and its addendum, which includes a "contradiction in the seniority condition." For example, promotion to "Primary Education Director" (class 14) requires combining seniority from the integration rank (first-class teacher, class 13) and the original rank (senior teacher, class 12). This allows a teacher with only five years of seniority, who passed through the senior teacher rank, to participate. However, it excludes a teacher with ten years of actual seniority, such as those from the 2016 cohort, who were integrated directly into class 13 without first passing through the "senior teacher" rank.
A "discrepancy" in promotion conditions between educational levels has also been noted. A primary or middle school teacher integrated into the "second-class teacher" rank, having come from a "senior teacher" rank, can participate in the promotion competition for "School Principal" or "Middle School Principal" after combining their ranks. Conversely, a secondary school "second-class teacher," integrated and also coming from a "senior teacher" rank, cannot participate in the promotion competition for "High School Principal" after combining their ranks. In another instance, for promotion to "Primary Education Inspector" specializing in school nutrition, seniority was required from a "Chief School Nutrition Advisor," a position that does not exist nationally.
Union Demands and Legal Basis
The National Syndicate of Education Workers demanded an "official corrective addendum" to rectify the situation, according to union statements. This addendum should include a fundamental amendment allowing the "combination of the original rank and the integration rank" in calculating seniority for promotion, particularly for affected categories of employees. The union argues that the current instruction contradicts principles of professional justice and equal opportunities in public service. It also states the instruction is at odds with the intent of the Organic Law, specifically Article 63, which upholds the principle of preserving professional seniority when an employee's administrative status or rank changes.
The union called for a "corrective addendum" to address what it described as technical imbalances. Such an addendum, the syndicate emphasized, should allow "combining the original rank and the integration rank" for seniority calculation, ensuring full accounting for professional experience without fragmentation or exclusion. This is especially pertinent for promotions to "Director" from the "Primary School Teacher" rank. The National Syndicate of Education Workers also demanded a unified interpretation to ensure equality among employees who held the same ranks and performed the same tasks. Union representatives stressed that all legally eligible individuals should be allowed to participate in promotion competitions without unjustified restrictions.
Broader Implications and Fairness
If implemented, the Ministry of National Education's document could nullify years of professional experience and seniority for some categories of staff. Kouider Yahiaoui, acting National Secretary-General of the National Syndicate of Education Workers, characterized this potential outcome as an "administrative guillotine that may cancel years of experience and seniority." Yahiaoui emphasized that the core problem lies in the absence of explicit recognition for acquired seniority within the new rules. The current application of the promotional criteria has created an unbalanced situation, leading to discrimination among employees who share similar professional paths, responsibilities, and field experience. This discrepancy disproportionately affects those with substantial service but whose integration pathways are not fully accounted for under the new framework.