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Professor emeritus of universities, sociologist, Aissa Kadri taught at the University of Algiers at the dawn of the 1970s. Former director of the Maghreb-Europe Institute (Paris VIII University), he is the author of a sum of work on the sociology of education, the Maghreb intelligentsia and various themes linked to the Algerian national movement.
Among other work focused on school in colonial and post-independence, he has published numerous collective works on teachers in Algeria, notably with Jean-Paul Roux “” School in colonial Algeria, comply or emancipate » (Teachers in Algeria 1945/1962, Paris, Sudel, 2004). In addition, there are many articles: “Transmission of knowledge in colonial situations: the imposition of the French education system in Algeria” In Patrick Pion and Nathan Schlanger; ” Learn . Archeology of the transmission of knowledge ” (Paris La Découvert, Inrap, 2020); “The Algerian teaching system between past and present” In Philippe Bance and Jacques Fournier; “” Education and general interest “ (CIRIEC, Working Paper 18/11/, PURH, 2018); “The SNI and the Algerian War” In Jean Robert Henry and Florence Hudowicz; “School in Algeria, Algeria at school” (Editions of the National Education Museum, Munae, Canope, 2017); “History of the colonial teaching system” In F. Abecassis and Alii “France and Algeria: history lessons” (Lyon, Inrp editions 2007). He also published – in collaboration with Fabienne Rio – “” Teachers from immigrants: the generation effect (Sudel, 2006).
The independent young: independent Algeria was indeed there with the start of the school year, session 1962-1963. What do you think of this school ” first ” first a few weeks after independence? Can we speak of a successful negotiated challenge?
Aissa Kadri: Yes, indeed., We had to succeed in the first school year in independence. For the greatest majority of them, Algerians, contrary to what the thurifiers of positive colonization can affirm, have not benefited from schooling. They were excluded from the school which appeared a danger and likely to awaken consciences.
Algerians were excluded from education both by the settlers’ lobby and by the metropolitan colonial power. At the start of the war of independence, the Algerians actually educated barely 10% of a class of age to be educated. The illiteracy rate exceeded 90% of the population. At independence – and very quickly – the school was therefore put at the center of development objectives. It is through education that emancipation could be completed.
There was a real mystic of the role of education. Contemporary sociologists speak of “a magic cargo”, as a prerequisite for development. In an atrocious exit phase, the independence power quickly set out to set up the conditions for the success of the start of the school year. It should be noted that this school year was prepared throughout the summer within the provisional executive thanks, among other things, to the commitment of personalities, some of whom were from the world of teaching.
This is the case of Charles Koenig, member of the provisional executive and, later, deputy for the Algerian constituent in September 1962. Mayor of Saida, he was, among other things, the teacher of Ahmed Medeghri (Minister of the Interior under Ben Bella and Boumediene). André Mandouze, the first rector of the National University, and Stéphane Hessel played a big role. From May 1962, there were many exchanges and discussions within the provisional executive.
Representatives of the Federation of National Education (FEN), the National Union of Teachers (SNI) and the Mutual General for National Education (MGEN) came to Rocher Noir (Boumèrdes) to negotiate the place of teachers in independent Algeria with Abderrahmane Farès (President of the Executive), Chawki Mostefai, Charles Koenigm, Abderrahmane Kiouane, Mohamed Farès (trade unionist, UGTA), Louis Rigaud (teacher, trade unionist), etc. These negotiations lasted all summer 62. It should not be forgotten that the majority tendency of the SNI as well as the FEN were very close to Messali Hadj and open to the idea of independence through the proposal of the round table as out of the war.
LJI: Between the exit from war with the terrorism of the OAS, the transition period, the crisis in the summer of 1962, was the agenda in favor of this school year? Was the school year compromised?
Yes, in fact, the summer of 1962 experienced an acme for violence with the burnt earth policy of the OAS criminal organization. Symbol of the desire to maintain Algeria in the colonial night, six teachers of social centers (Marcel Basset, Mouloud Feraoun, Ali Hammoutène, Max Marchand, Robert Eymard and Salah Ould Aoudia) are assassinated by the Criminals of the OAS in March 62. Two others were murdered in the east of the country, one of which was down to buy a bottle The ceasefire was executed in front of his wife.
In addition, the establishment of the Algerian authorities was also very difficult and has experienced fratricidal clashes.
During this period of time, under the effect of the organization of the FLN and the mobilization of the Algerians, substitution courses were able to be organized in the districts to ward off the closure of the classes from March to June. The success of the start of the school year had to be the answer to the criminals who aimed to make the country a cemetery. Algerian unionists and Europeans, the authorities of the moment – executive and officials of the FLN – mobilized in difficult conditions for the start of the school year to be a party.
LJI: What about the sociology of the European teaching staff which agreed to associate with the new state and ensure the start of the school year?
: Of the 26,000 teachers who exercised in Algeria before independence, 15,000 will be hard at work to ensure the start of the school year. Most stayed in Algeria while others – frightened by the threats of the OAS – left before returning. These teachers were mainly affiliated with the SNI, a union whose Algerian section will be replaced by the professional association of French teachers in Algeria (APIFA) led by Louis Rigaud. The SNI was crossed by three trends.
Supporters of French Algeria ” separated from the SNI in 1957 to create their own union. The start of the school year was mainly supervised by these teachers to which the Algerians recruited on the job – monitors, institutors, young teachers – who will join the educational institution without much educational training must be added. Back to school was a very big party. It was carried by professionals and volunteers with the assistance of parents of students. For the occasion, the students were dressed in clothes in the colors of the national emblem.