Beyond the Medina: Unpacking Morocco’s Educational Challenges

Written by Anastasia Bagration-Gruzinski

Morocco is a North African country that is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean, the Mediterranean Sea, and Algeria. The country has a population of over 36 million people, making it the fifth-largest economy in Africa. Although Morocco is one of the most prosperous and politically stable countries in the region, it still faces several educational challenges.

According to UNESCO, the literacy rate in Morocco is 73%, with a 66% literacy rate for women and a 79% literacy rate for men. Although this is an improvement from previous years, there is still a significant disparity between urban and rural areas, with rural areas having lower literacy rates. Moreover, the quality of education is a concern, with a high dropout rate and low educational achievement levels.

In this article, we will examine the educational challenges that Morocco is facing, as well as possible solutions to address these challenges.

Schoolchildren admiring an eclipse in Morocco. Photo by Universe Awareness.

Challenges Facing Morocco’s Education System

Quality of Education

One of the most pressing challenges facing Morocco’s education system is the quality of education. Many Moroccan students struggle with basic reading and writing skills, which leads to high dropout rates and low achievement levels. According to the World Bank, only 36% of Moroccan students who enroll in primary school complete secondary education.

The lack of quality education is partly due to the shortage of qualified teachers, particularly in rural areas. According to a report by the Moroccan Ministry of National Education, Vocational Training, Higher Education, and Scientific Research, there is a shortage of over 60,000 teachers in the country. This shortage results in larger class sizes, which makes it challenging for teachers to provide individualized attention to each student.

Access to Education

While education is compulsory in Morocco, many children, particularly those in rural areas, do not have access to education. According to a report by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), about 200,000 Moroccan children between the ages of 7 and 13 are not enrolled in school. Girls are especially affected, with many families preferring to keep their daughters at home to help with household chores or marry them off at a young age.

Moreover, poverty is a significant barrier to education in Morocco, with many families unable to afford school supplies and uniforms, as well as transportation to and from school.

Curriculum and Teaching Methods

Morocco’s education system has been criticized for its outdated curriculum and teaching methods. The current curriculum does not align with the needs of the modern workforce and does not provide students with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in the 21st century.

Additionally, the teaching methods used in Moroccan schools are often outdated and rely heavily on rote learning and memorization. This approach does not encourage critical thinking or creativity, which are essential skills in today’s rapidly changing world.

Gender Inequality

Gender inequality is a significant challenge in Morocco’s education system. While the government has made progress in promoting girls’ education, there is still a significant gender gap in enrollment and achievement. According to a report by UNESCO, the primary school net enrollment rate for girls in Morocco is 87%, compared to 93% for boys. Moreover, girls’ achievement levels are lower than boys, with a higher dropout rate.

Teacher Training and Professional Development

Investing in teacher training and professional development is one of the most critical solutions to Morocco’s education challenges. The Moroccan government should provide more training opportunities for teachers to enhance their teaching skills and learn new approaches to teaching.

Additionally, the government should incentivize teachers to work in rural areas by providing them with better salaries, housing, and other benefits. This approach would help address the shortage of qualified teachers in rural areas and provide students with better access to quality education.

Children in a classroom in Morocco. Photo by Antonio Cinotti.

Solutions to Morocco’s Educational Challenges

Investing in Teacher Training

One of the most critical solutions to Morocco’s education challenges is investing in teacher training. The Moroccan government should provide more training opportunities for teachers to enhance their teaching skills and learn new approaches to teaching.

Additionally, the government should incentivize teachers to work in rural areas by providing them with better salaries, housing, and other benefits. This approach would help address the shortage of qualified teachers in rural areas and provide students with better access to quality education.

Legal Basis for the Solution:

According to Article 26 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, “Everyone has the right to education.” The right to education is also recognized in several international human rights treaties, including the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) and the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). Both of these treaties recognize the right to education as a fundamental human right that should be accessible to everyone, regardless of gender, social class, or geographic location.

Expanding Access to Education

To increase access to education in Morocco, the government should consider implementing policies that target children from disadvantaged backgrounds. These policies may include financial assistance programs, such as scholarships or subsidies, to help families cover the cost of education.

The Moroccan government can also partner with non-governmental organizations and other stakeholders to expand access to education in rural areas. This approach could involve building new schools, providing transportation to and from school, and ensuring that schools have access to resources and materials needed to provide quality education.

Updating the Curriculum and Teaching Methods

To improve the quality of education in Morocco, the government must update the curriculum and teaching methods to align with the needs of the modern workforce. This could involve incorporating more practical skills, such as computer literacy, into the curriculum. The government should also promote project-based learning, which encourages critical thinking and problem-solving skills, rather than rote memorization.

Furthermore, the Moroccan government can collaborate with international organizations, such as UNESCO, to develop new teaching materials and curricula that are more inclusive and relevant to the needs of Moroccan students.

Closing the Gender Gap

Morocco has made significant progress in promoting girls’ education, but there is still a gender gap in enrollment and achievement. To close this gap, the government should focus on improving access to education for girls, particularly in rural areas.

The government can provide incentives for families to send their daughters to school, such as scholarships or subsidies. Additionally, the government can work with non-governmental organizations to create awareness campaigns that promote the importance of girls’ education and address cultural attitudes that prevent girls from accessing education.

International Cooperation

International cooperation is crucial in addressing Morocco’s education challenges. The Moroccan government can collaborate with international organizations, such as the World Bank and UNESCO, to secure funding for education initiatives and gain access to expertise and resources.

Additionally, the Moroccan government can learn from the experiences of other countries that have successfully addressed similar education challenges. For example, Morocco can look to neighboring countries, such as Tunisia and Algeria, that have made significant progress in improving access to education and promoting gender equality in education.

Conclusion

Morocco’s education system is facing several challenges, including the quality of education, access to education, curriculum and teaching methods, and gender inequality. While the government has made efforts to address these challenges, more needs to be done to ensure that all Moroccan children have access to quality education.

To improve the quality of education in Morocco, the government should invest in teacher training, expand access to education, update the curriculum and teaching methods, and close the gender gap in enrollment and achievement. Additionally, international cooperation is crucial in addressing these challenges, and the Moroccan government should collaborate with international organizations and learn from the experiences of other countries that have successfully addressed similar education challenges.

By addressing these challenges, Morocco can improve the prospects of its young people, promote economic growth, and build a brighter future for the country.

Bibliography

Educational challenges in Madagascar

Written by Belise Hirwa

Edited by Adekanmi Adediran

Introduction

In the early 90’s, Malagasy form of education was highly decorated with the low management and demoralization that was portrayed by both teachers and parents. Public schools were mainly affected by being closed hence interference with the normal schooling program. The political coup that was faced in Madagascar in 2009 is among the factors that decreased international aid hence affecting the economic states. Considering as Education provides humankind with information, knowledge, skills and ethics to know, understand and respect our duties towards society, families and nation, and helps us progress further.  Education is a way of life where one can learn and share knowledge with others. As quoted by the late Nelson Mandela “Education is the great engine of personal development.

It is through education that the daughter of a peasant can become a doctor, that the son of a mine worker can become the head of the mine that a child of farm workers can become the president of a great nation. The current educational system in Madagascar is composed of five mandatory years in primary school and an extension of seven years in secondary school which is divided into two, the junior year of four years and three senior years.File:Students doing group work with slates in Antsiranana Madagascar.JPG

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Lemurbaby – Photo source

Among the challenges that the education system in Madagascar experience are,

Covid-19 aftermath

The virus resulted to poor educational development across the globe. In Madagascar it was no exceptional, school dropouts was recorded highly during the pandemic. UNESCO reported that the number of dropouts in Madagascar were at a higher rise within the pandemic. Senior secondary being the most affected group.

Gender Inequality

Boys are rated to drop out of schools especially in primary schools, meanwhile girls have been recorded to drop out starting at the age of fifteen and older. This is caused by poverty among the households of these children. Other households are faced with either disabilities or orphans’.

Extreme poverty

Madagascar is one of the poorest countries globally. Due to poor economic growth most Malagasy children have not set foot in classrooms. This has forced most children to grow up being responsible for their families at early ages.

Most of these children grow up as herders and engaging in agricultural activities especially among boys. Early marriages is experienced at high levels, girls are set up for unexpected marriages hence early pregnancies.File:Ecoles Afrique Madagascar 1.jpg

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Anthere – Photo source

Low qualification of teachers

One of the core causes of the poor quality of education in Madagascar is the low quality of teachers due to the teacher recruitment process, which does not focus on selecting professional education personnel but instead on meeting the demands of civil servants.

Existence of community teachers paid by parents have a significant influence on non-enrollment and dropout of students. In 2016 UNESCO Institute for statistics presented a ratio of 7 qualified teachers among 40 students. Teachers tend to lack formal education in especially public schools.

According to World Bank four out of ten pupils in primary schools drops out before completing the last stage in that level.

Poor Educational Facilities and Infrastructure

Poor school facilities and infrastructure quality are also part of Madagascar’s education challenges. The schools that do exist are unable to cope with the demand for places, and often lack basic water or hygiene facilities and even furniture.

Uneven access to the internet, and discrepancy in teacher qualifications and education quality, appeared as the biggest challenges in implementing distance learning. Remote learning for young children and the diversity of the country’s digital access levels cause further inequalities for marginalized children.

Conclusion

Focused development initiatives can strive to ensure access to quality education for all, provide a bright future for Madagascar’s youngest generation, and strengthen continuing education opportunities.

References