Morocco ─ Mediocre Education Whilst Repetitive Expensive Reforms! Who’s to Blame?

Rachid Chahoub is a high school teacher of English. He got a BA from Qadi Ayad faculty of letters and human sciences  in Marrakech. Writing about  education related issues and up-to-date events are his best interests.

Marrakech, Morocco,

The Moroccan educational system has been undergoing many reforms and alterations that seek one objective, i.e. the betterment of education in our schools and making it a positively impactive factor in promoting sustainable development in Morocco. Yet, in spite of all these reforms and frequent reconsiderations of the educational system, the achievements are still not satisfying if not upsetting and raising the same old question: Where does the problem lie?

As each new school year begins, a huge number of defects appear from the very beginning to set back the long-awaited objectives in which enormous budgets have been spent or rather frittered away imprudently.

The enhancement of education in Morocco was and still is one of the primary cries of all the previously elected governments. They set plans and establish many committees to prepare reports coupled with thorough studies that will be subjected to scrutiny and evaluation in order to be used as a springboard to the making and implementation of allegedly well designed action plans that prove to be wrong steps immediately afterwards.

The Moroccan public has continuously noticed the consecutive failures of all of the governments being elected at least during the past three decades; these unjustifiable failures of the ministry of education and all its partners brought about public pressure on the issue of education. Moroccans are divided into two parties. Some people say it is intentional, and they regard it as a first step towards the privatization of education; others say these complete flops are due to the lack of know-how.

Very often the Moroccan House of Representatives in addition to the Parliament hold heated debates concerning the issue of education; questions and problems are raised and discussed profoundly. However, these meetings usually yield proclamations and promises that remain mere ink on paper.

As time passes, and schools open every year, the situation is only deteriorating and worsening. Several outcries were held in many cities inside and outside many schools all over Morocco; massive crowds of students as well as their parents have been protesting against the way the government jeopardizes their future. Without taking any notice of or being influenced by these protestations and public nuisances, the government is still disseminating flimsy information that the Moroccan educational system is in good condition.

It is now urgent more than ever before to rethink education in Morocco in terms of the aspirations and the means to reach them. This mission should be all-inclusive and require the Moroccan government to include students, teachers and supervisors, etc. Not only is this needed, but a firm willingness and cooperation are prerequisite to the success of this project. If this will not be the case, then the upcoming generations will be a fertile soil for all bad behavior that will certainly bring about unrest to our beloved country.