Fatma Ben Saïdane

Tunisian education reformer who expanded access to girls’ schooling and became North Africa’s first female minister.

Fatma Ben Saïdane (1918–2005) was a trailblazing educator who transformed Tunisia’s educational system. A teacher by training, she joined the University of Tunis in 1945 and later became director of the Ministry of Education’s women’s division. Her 1960 report "Education for Equality" led to the creation of girls-only schools in rural areas, increasing female literacy from 12% to 45% by 1970.

In 1969, she became Tunisia’s first female minister of education, implementing policies like mandatory primary education and teacher training programs for women. Her autobiography "Building Tomorrow’s Tunisia" recounts her battles against conservative leaders who opposed co-educational classrooms. She also co-founded the Tunisian Women’s Association, which lobbied for family law reforms.

Ben Saïdane’s legacy is seen in Tunisia’s current gender parity in universities, a direct result of her 1970s reforms. The UNESCO honored her in 1998 for "pioneering gender-responsive education," and her statue stands in Tunis’s National Museum of Women’s History. Her advocacy for women in STEM fields laid groundwork for Tunisia’s modern tech sector.