Beyond the Madinah: Membongkar Tantangan Pendidikan Maroko

Ditulis oleh Anastasia Bagration-Gruzinski

Maroko merupakan negara Afrika Utara yang berbatasan dengan Samudera Atlantik, Laut Mediterania, dan Aljazair. Negara ini memiliki populasi lebih dari 36 juta orang, menjadikannya negara dengan perekonomian terbesar kelima di Afrika. Meskipun Maroko adalah salah satu negara paling makmur dan stabil secara politik di kawasan ini, Maroko masih menghadapi beberapa tantangan pendidikan.

Menurut UNESCO, angka literasi di Maroko adalah 73%, dengan angka literasi 66% untuk perempuan dan angka literasi 79% untuk laki-laki. Meskipun angka ini merupakan kemajuan dibandingkan tahun-tahun sebelumnya, masih terdapat kesenjangan yang signifikan antara daerah perkotaan dan pedesaan, dimana daerah pedesaan memiliki tingkat literasi yang lebih rendah. Selain itu, kualitas pendidikan juga menjadi perhatian, dengan tingginya angka putus sekolah dan rendahnya tingkat prestasi pendidikan.

Dalam artikel ini, kami akan mengkaji tantangan pendidikan yang dihadapi Maroko, serta solusi yang dapat dilakukan untuk mengatasi tantangan tersebut.

Anak-anak sekolah mengagumi gerhana di Maroko. Foto oleh Universe Awareness

Tantangan yang Dihadapi Sistem Pendidikan Maroko

Kualitas Pendidikan

Salah satu tantangan paling mendesak yang dihadapi sistem pendidikan Maroko adalah kualitas pendidikan. Banyak siswa Maroko kesulitan dengan keterampilan dasar membaca dan menulis, yang menyebabkan tingginya angka putus sekolah dan rendahnya tingkat prestasi. Menurut World Bank, hanya 36% siswa Maroko yang bersekolah di sekolah dasar menyelesaikan pendidikan menengah.

Kurangnya pendidikan yang berkualitas antara lain disebabkan oleh kurangnya guru yang berkualitas, khususnya di daerah pedesaan. Menurut laporan Kementerian Pendidikan Nasional, Pelatihan Kejuruan, Pendidikan Tinggi, dan Penelitian Ilmiah Maroko, terdapat kekurangan lebih dari 60.000 guru di negara tersebut. Kekurangan ini mengakibatkan ukuran kelas menjadi lebih besar, sehingga menyulitkan guru untuk memberikan perhatian individual kepada setiap siswa.

Akses terhadap Pendidikan

Meskipun pendidikan merupakan hal yang wajib di Maroko, banyak anak-anak, terutama yang berada di daerah pedesaan, tidak memiliki akses terhadap pendidikan. Menurut laporan United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), sekitar 200.000 anak-anak Maroko berusia antara 7 dan 13 tahun tidak bersekolah. Anak perempuan merupakan kelompok yang paling terkena dampaknya, dan banyak keluarga yang lebih memilih untuk membiarkan anak perempuan mereka tetap di rumah untuk membantu pekerjaan rumah tangga atau menikahkan mereka di usia muda.

Selain itu, kemiskinan merupakan hambatan besar terhadap pendidikan di Maroko, karena banyak keluarga yang tidak mampu membeli perlengkapan sekolah dan seragam, serta transportasi ke dan dari sekolah.

Kurikulum dan Metode Pengajaran

Sistem pendidikan Maroko telah dikritik karena kurikulum dan metode pengajarannya yang ketinggalan jaman. Kurikulum yang ada saat ini tidak sejalan dengan kebutuhan dunia kerja modern dan tidak membekali siswa dengan keterampilan dan pengetahuan yang mereka butuhkan untuk berhasil di abad ke-21.

Selain itu, metode pengajaran yang digunakan di sekolah-sekolah Maroko sering kali sudah ketinggalan jaman dan sangat bergantung pada pembelajaran menghafal dan mengandalkan ingatan semata. Pendekatan ini tidak mendorong pemikiran kritis atau kreativitas, yang merupakan keterampilan penting di dunia saat ini yang berubah dengan cepat.

Ketimpangan Gender

Ketidaksetaraan gender merupakan tantangan besar dalam sistem pendidikan Maroko. Meskipun pemerintah telah mencapai kemajuan dalam mendorong pendidikan anak perempuan, masih terdapat kesenjangan gender yang signifikan dalam hal partisipasi dan prestasi. Menurut laporan UNESCO, angka partisipasi murni sekolah dasar untuk anak perempuan di Maroko adalah 87%, dibandingkan dengan 93% untuk anak laki-laki. Selain itu, tingkat prestasi anak perempuan lebih rendah dibandingkan anak laki-laki, dan angka putus sekolah lebih tinggi.

Pelatihan dan Pengembangan Profesional Guru

Berinvestasi dalam pelatihan dan pengembangan profesional guru adalah salah satu solusi paling penting terhadap tantangan pendidikan di Maroko. Pemerintah Maroko harus memberikan lebih banyak kesempatan pelatihan bagi para guru untuk meningkatkan keterampilan mengajar mereka dan mempelajari pendekatan baru dalam mengajar.

Selain itu, pemerintah harus memberikan insentif kepada guru untuk bekerja di daerah pedesaan dengan memberikan mereka gaji, perumahan, dan tunjangan lainnya yang lebih baik. Pendekatan ini akan membantu mengatasi kekurangan guru berkualitas di daerah pedesaan dan memberikan siswa akses yang lebih baik terhadap pendidikan berkualitas.

Anak-anak di ruang kelas di Maroko. Foto oleh Antonio Cinotti.

Solusi untuk Tantangan Pendidikan di Maroko

Berinvestasi dalam Pelatihan Guru

Salah satu solusi paling penting terhadap tantangan pendidikan di Maroko adalah berinvestasi dalam pelatihan guru. Pemerintah Maroko harus memberikan lebih banyak kesempatan pelatihan bagi para guru untuk meningkatkan keterampilan mengajar mereka dan mempelajari pendekatan baru dalam mengajar.

Selain itu, pemerintah harus memberikan insentif kepada guru untuk bekerja di daerah pedesaan dengan memberikan mereka gaji, perumahan, dan tunjangan lainnya yang lebih baik. Pendekatan ini akan membantu mengatasi kekurangan guru berkualitas di daerah pedesaan dan memberikan siswa akses yang lebih baik terhadap pendidikan berkualitas.

Dasar Hukum Penyelesaiannya:

Menurut Pasal 26 Deklarasi Universal Hak Asasi Manusia, “Setiap orang berhak atas pendidikan.” Hak atas pendidikan juga diakui dalam beberapa perjanjian hak asasi manusia internasional, termasuk Kovenan Internasional tentang Hak Ekonomi, Sosial, dan Budaya (ICESCR) dan Konvensi Hak Anak (CRC). Kedua perjanjian ini mengakui hak atas pendidikan sebagai hak asasi manusia mendasar yang harus dapat diakses oleh semua orang, tanpa memandang gender, kelas sosial, atau lokasi geografis.

Memperluas Akses terhadap Pendidikan

Untuk meningkatkan akses terhadap pendidikan di Maroko, pemerintah harus mempertimbangkan penerapan kebijakan yang menargetkan anak-anak dari latar belakang kurang beruntung. Kebijakan ini mungkin mencakup program bantuan keuangan, seperti beasiswa atau subsidi, untuk membantu keluarga menutupi biaya pendidikan.

Pemerintah Maroko juga dapat bermitra dengan organisasi non-pemerintah dan pemangku kepentingan lainnya untuk memperluas akses pendidikan di daerah pedesaan. Pendekatan ini dapat mencakup pembangunan sekolah baru, menyediakan transportasi ke dan dari sekolah, dan memastikan bahwa sekolah memiliki akses terhadap sumber daya dan materi yang diperlukan untuk menyediakan pendidikan berkualitas.

Pemutakhiran Kurikulum dan Metode Pengajaran

Untuk meningkatkan kualitas pendidikan di Maroko, pemerintah harus memperbarui kurikulum dan metode pengajaran agar selaras dengan kebutuhan angkatan kerja modern. Hal ini dapat melibatkan penggabungan keterampilan yang lebih praktis, seperti kemampuan komputer, ke dalam kurikulum. Pemerintah juga harus mendorong pembelajaran berbasis proyek, yang mendorong pemikiran kritis dan keterampilan memecahkan masalah, dibandingkan menghafal.

Lebih lanjut, pemerintah Maroko dapat berkolaborasi dengan organisasi internasional, seperti UNESCO, untuk mengembangkan materi pengajaran dan kurikulum baru yang lebih inklusif dan relevan dengan kebutuhan siswa Maroko.

Menutup Kesenjangan Gender

Maroko telah mencapai kemajuan yang signifikan dalam mendorong pendidikan anak perempuan, namun masih terdapat kesenjangan gender dalam hal partisipasi dan prestasi. Untuk menutup kesenjangan ini, pemerintah harus fokus pada peningkatan akses terhadap pendidikan bagi anak perempuan, khususnya di daerah pedesaan.

Pemerintah dapat memberikan insentif bagi keluarga yang menyekolahkan putrinya, seperti beasiswa atau subsidi. Selain itu, pemerintah dapat bekerja sama dengan organisasi non-pemerintah untuk menciptakan kampanye kesadaran yang mempromosikan pentingnya pendidikan bagi anak perempuan dan mengatasi sikap budaya yang menghalangi anak perempuan mengakses pendidikan.

Kerjasama Internasional

Kerja sama internasional sangat penting dalam mengatasi tantangan pendidikan di Maroko. Pemerintah Maroko dapat berkolaborasi dengan organisasi internasional, seperti World Bank dan UNESCO, untuk mendapatkan pendanaan bagi inisiatif pendidikan dan mendapatkan akses terhadap keahlian dan sumber daya.

Selain itu, pemerintah Maroko dapat belajar dari pengalaman negara-negara lain yang telah berhasil mengatasi tantangan pendidikan serupa. Misalnya, Maroko dapat melihat negara-negara tetangganya, seperti Tunisia dan Aljazair, yang telah mencapai kemajuan signifikan dalam meningkatkan akses terhadap pendidikan dan mendorong kesetaraan gender dalam pendidikan.

Kesimpulan

Sistem pendidikan Maroko menghadapi beberapa tantangan, termasuk kualitas pendidikan, akses terhadap pendidikan, kurikulum dan metode pengajaran, serta ketidaksetaraan gender. Meskipun pemerintah telah melakukan upaya untuk mengatasi tantangan ini, masih banyak yang harus dilakukan untuk memastikan bahwa semua anak Maroko memiliki akses terhadap pendidikan berkualitas.

Untuk meningkatkan kualitas pendidikan di Maroko, pemerintah harus berinvestasi dalam pelatihan guru, memperluas akses terhadap pendidikan, memperbarui kurikulum dan metode pengajaran, dan menutup kesenjangan gender dalam partisipasi dan prestasi. Selain itu, kerja sama internasional sangat penting dalam mengatasi tantangan-tantangan ini, dan pemerintah Maroko harus berkolaborasi dengan organisasi-organisasi internasional dan belajar dari pengalaman negara-negara lain yang telah berhasil mengatasi tantangan pendidikan serupa.

Dengan mengatasi tantangan-tantangan ini, Maroko dapat meningkatkan prospek generasi mudanya, mendorong pertumbuhan ekonomi, dan membangun masa depan yang lebih cerah bagi negaranya.

 

Bibliografi

“Country Profile: Morocco.” UNESCO UIS. Accessed March 25, 2023. https://uis.unesco.org/en/country/ma.

“Education in Morocco.” World Bank. Accessed March 25, 2023. https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/morocco/brief/education-in-morocco.

“Education and Training Monitor 2021: Morocco.” European Commission. Accessed March 25, 2023. https://ec.europa.eu/education/sites/default/files/monitor2021-ma_en.pdf.

“Girls’ Education in Morocco.” UNICEF. Accessed March 25, 2023. https://www.unicef.org/morocco/en/girls-education-morocco.

“Global Education Monitoring Report 2021: The Power of Education for Development.” UNESCO. Accessed March 25, 2023. https://en.unesco.org/gem-report/report/2021/power-education-development.

“In Morocco, Early Marriage and School Dropout are Closely Linked.” UNICEF. Accessed March 25, 2023. https://www.unicef.org/morocco/en/morocco-early-marriage-and-school-dropout-are-closely-linked.

“Morocco: Education for All 2015 National Review.” UNESCO. Accessed March 25, 2023. http://www.unesco.org/new/fileadmin/MULTIMEDIA/FIELD/Rabat/pdf/Morocco-EFA-2015-National-Review-EN.pdf.

“Morocco Education Fact Sheet.” USAID. Accessed March 25, 2023. https://www.usaid.gov/morocco/fact-sheets/morocco-education-fact-sheet.

“Morocco: Gender Parity Index for Gross Enrollment Ratio in Primary Education.” World Bank. Accessed March 25, 2023. https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SE.ENR.PRSC.FM.ZS?locations=MA.

“Morocco: Teacher Shortage Hampers Education.” World Bank. Accessed March 25, 2023. https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/feature/2014/11/24/morocco-teacher-shortage-hampers-education.

“Report on the Situation of Women and Girls in Rural Morocco.” United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women. Accessed March 25, 2023. https://www.unwomen.org/-/media/headquarters/attachments/sections/library/publications/2019/rural-morocco-report-on-the-situation-of-women-and-girls-en.pdf?la=en&vs=2835.

“The Education System in Morocco.” Moroccan Ministry of National Education, Vocational Training, Higher Education, and Scientific Research. Accessed March 25, 2023. http://www.men.gov.ma/En/Pages/default.aspx.

“The Moroccan Constitution of 2011.” ConstitutionNet. Accessed March 25, 2023. https://constitutionnet.org/country/morocco.

ما وراء المدينة المنورة: تفريغ التحديات التعليمية في المغرب

أناستازيا جوليداني

المغرب بلد شمال أفريقيا يحده المحيط الأطلسي والبحر الأبيض المتوسط والجزائر. يبلغ عدد سكان البلاد أكثر من ٣٦ مليون نسمة، مما يجعلها خامس أكبر اقتصاد في أفريقيا. على الرغم من أن المغرب هو واحد من أكثر البلدان ازدهارا واستقرارا سياسيا في المنطقة، فإنه لا يزال يواجه العديد من التحديات التعليمية
حسب اليونسكو، فإن معدل الإلمام بالقراءة والكتابة في المغرب يبلغ ٧٣٪، بمعدل إلمام بالقراءة والكتابة ٦٦٪ للنساء ٧٩٪ للرجال. على الرغم من أن هذا تحسن عن السنوات السابقة، إلا أنه لا يزال هناك تفاوت كبير بين المناطق الحضرية والريفية، مع انخفاض معدلات معرفة القراءة والكتابة في المناطق الريفية. وعلاوة على ذلك، فإن نوعية التعليم تشكل مصدر قلق، مع ارتفاع معدل التسرب وانخفاض مستويات التحصيل التعليمي
.في هذه المقالة، سوف ندرس التحديات التعليمية التي يواجهها المغرب، فضلا عن الحلول الممكنة لمواجهة هذه التحديات

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

التحديات التي تواجه نظام التعليم في المغرب
جودة التعليم
من أكثر التحديات التي تواجه نظام التعليم في المغرب إلحاحا هي جودة التعليم. يعاني العديد من الطلاب المغاربة من مهارات القراءة والكتابة الأساسية، مما يؤدي إلى ارتفاع معدلات التسرب وانخفاض مستويات التحصيل. وبحسب البنك الدولي، فإن ٣٦٪ فقط من الطلاب المغاربة الملتحقين بالمدارس الابتدائية يكملون التعليم الثانوي.
ويعزى نقص التعليم الجيد جزئيا إلى نقص المعلمين المؤهلين، ولا سيما في المناطق الريفية. وفقا لتقرير صادر عن وزارة التربية الوطنية والتكوين المهني والتعليم العالي والبحث العلمي المغربية، هناك نقص في أكثر من ٦٠٠٠٠ ، معلم في البلاد. ينتج عن هذا النقص أحجام أكبر للفصول، مما يجعل من الصعب على المعلمين توفير اهتمام فردي لكل طالب.
الوصول إلى التعليم
وفي حين أن التعليم إلزامي في المغرب، فإن العديد من الأطفال، ولا سيما في المناطق الريفية، لا يحصلون على التعليم. وفقا لتقرير صادر عن منظمة الأمم المتحدة للطفولة (اليونيسيف)، حوالي ٢٠٠٠٠٠ طفل مغربي تتراوح أعمارهم بين ٧ و ١٣ سنة غير ملتحقين بالمدارس. وتتأثر الفتيات بشكل خاص، حيث تفضل العديد من الأسر إبقاء بناتها في المنزل للمساعدة في الأعمال المنزلية أو تزويجهن في سن مبكرة.
وعلاوة على ذلك، يشكل الفقر عائقا كبيرا أمام التعليم في المغرب، حيث لا تستطيع العديد من الأسر تحمل تكاليف اللوازم المدرسية والزي المدرسي، فضلا عن النقل من المدرسة وإليها.
المناهج وطرق التدريس
تعرض نظام التعليم في المغرب لانتقادات بسبب مناهجها وأساليب التدريس التي عفا عليها الزمن. لا يتوافق المنهج الحالي مع احتياجات القوى العاملة الحديثة ولا يوفر للطلاب المهارات والمعرفة التي يحتاجونها للنجاح في القرن الحادي والعشرين.
بالإضافة إلى ذلك، فإن أساليب التدريس المستخدمة في المدارس المغربية غالبا ما تكون قديمة وتعتمد بشكل كبير على التعلم عن ظهر قلب وحفظها. هذا النهج لا يشجع التفكير النقدي أو الإبداع، والتي هي المهارات الأساسية في عالم اليوم المتغير بسرعة.
عدم المساواة بين الجنسين
عدم المساواة بين الجنسين هو تحد كبير في النظام التعليمي في المغرب. في حين أن الحكومة حققت تقدما في تعزيز تعليم الفتيات، لا تزال هناك فجوة كبيرة بين الجنسين في الالتحاق والإنجاز. وبحسب تقرير صادر عن اليونسكو، فإن صافي معدل التحاق الفتيات بالمدارس الابتدائية في المغرب يبلغ ٨٧٪، مقابل ٩٣٪ للبنين. وعلاوة على ذلك، فإن مستويات إنجاز الفتيات أقل من الفتيان، مع ارتفاع معدل التسرب.

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

تدريب المعلمين والتطوير المهني
يعد الاستثمار في تدريب المعلمين والتطوير المهني أحد أهم الحلول لتحديات التعليم في المغرب. يجب على الحكومة المغربية توفير المزيد من فرص التدريب للمعلمين لتعزيز مهاراتهم التعليمية وتعلم أساليب جديدة للتدريس.
بالإضافة إلى ذلك، يجب على الحكومة تحفيز المعلمين على العمل في المناطق الريفية من خلال تزويدهم برواتب أفضل ومساكن ومزايا أخرى. ومن شأن هذا النهج أن يساعد على معالجة النقص في المعلمين المؤهلين في المناطق الريفية وأن يوفر للطلاب إمكانية أفضل للحصول على تعليم جيد.
حلول للتحديات التعليمية في المغرب
الاستثمار في تدريب المعلمين
أحد أهم الحلول لتحديات التعليم في المغرب هو الاستثمار في تدريب المعلمين. يجب على الحكومة المغربية توفير المزيد من فرص التدريب للمعلمين لتعزيز مهاراتهم التعليمية وتعلم أساليب جديدة للتدريس.

بالإضافة إلى ذلك، يجب على الحكومة تحفيز المعلمين على العمل في المناطق الريفية من خلال تزويدهم برواتب أفضل ومساكن ومزايا أخرى. ومن شأن هذا النهج أن يساعد على معالجة النقص في المعلمين المؤهلين في المناطق الريفية وأن يوفر للطلاب إمكانية أفضل للحصول على تعليم جيد.
الأساس القانوني للحل:
وفقًا للمادة ٢٦ من الإعلان العالمي لحقوق الإنسان، “لكل شخص الحق في التعليم.” كما أن الحق في التعليم معترف به في العديد من المعاهدات الدولية لحقوق الإنسان، بما في ذلك العهد الدولي الخاص بالحقوق الاقتصادية والاجتماعية والثقافية, والحقوق الثقافية واتفاقية حقوق الطفل . وتعترف هاتان المعاهدتان بالحق في التعليم كحق أساسي من حقوق الإنسان ينبغي أن يكون في متناول الجميع، بغض النظر عن الجنس أو الطبقة الاجتماعية أو الموقع الجغرافي.
توسيع نطاق الوصول إلى التعليم

ولزيادة فرص الحصول على التعليم في المغرب، ينبغي للحكومة أن تنظر في تنفيذ سياسات تستهدف الأطفال من الفئات المحرومة. وقد تشمل هذه السياسات برامج المساعدة المالية، مثل المنح الدراسية أو الإعانات، لمساعدة الأسر على تغطية تكاليف التعليم.
ويمكن للحكومة المغربية أيضا أن تقيم شراكات مع المنظمات غير الحكومية وغيرها من أصحاب المصلحة لتوسيع فرص الحصول على التعليم في المناطق الريفية. ويمكن أن يشمل هذا النهج بناء مدارس جديدة، وتوفير وسائل النقل من المدرسة وإليها، وضمان حصول المدارس على الموارد والمواد اللازمة لتوفير تعليم جيد.
تحديث المناهج وطرق التدريس
لتحسين جودة التعليم في المغرب، يجب على الحكومة تحديث المناهج وطرق التدريس لتتماشى مع احتياجات القوى العاملة الحديثة. ويمكن أن يشمل ذلك إدماج المزيد من المهارات العملية، مثل محو الأمية الحاسوبية، في المناهج الدراسية. كما يجب على الحكومة تعزيز التعلم القائم على المشاريع، والذي يشجع على التفكير النقدي ومهارات حل المشكلات، بدلاً من الحفظ عن ظهر قلب.
وعلاوة على ذلك، يمكن للحكومة المغربية أن تتعاون مع المنظمات الدولية، مثل اليونسكو، لتطوير مواد ومناهج تعليمية جديدة أكثر شمولية وذات صلة باحتياجات الطلاب المغاربة.
سد الفجوة بين الجنسين
حقق المغرب تقدما كبيرا في تعزيز تعليم الفتيات، ولكن لا تزال هناك فجوة بين الجنسين في الالتحاق والإنجاز. ولسد هذه الفجوة، ينبغي للحكومة أن تركز على تحسين فرص حصول الفتيات على التعليم، ولا سيما في المناطق الريفية.
ويمكن للحكومة أن توفر حوافز للأسر لإرسال بناتها إلى المدرسة، مثل المنح الدراسية أو الإعانات. وبالإضافة إلى ذلك، يمكن للحكومة أن تعمل مع المنظمات غير الحكومية على تنظيم حملات توعية تعزز أهمية تعليم الفتيات وتتصدى للمواقف الثقافية التي تمنع الفتيات من الحصول على التعليم.
التعاون الدولي
التعاون الدولي أمر حاسم في مواجهة تحديات التعليم في المغرب. يمكن للحكومة المغربية التعاون مع المنظمات الدولية، مثل البنك الدولي واليونسكو، لتأمين التمويل لمبادرات التعليم والحصول على الخبرة والموارد.
بالإضافة إلى ذلك، يمكن للحكومة المغربية أن تتعلم من تجارب البلدان الأخرى التي نجحت في مواجهة تحديات تعليمية مماثلة. على سبيل المثال، يمكن للمغرب أن يتطلع إلى البلدان المجاورة، مثل تونس والجزائر، التي حققت تقدما كبيرا في تحسين الوصول إلى التعليم وتعزيز المساواة بين الجنسين في التعليم.
خاتمة
يواجه نظام التعليم في المغرب عدة تحديات، منها جودة التعليم، والوصول إلى التعليم، والمناهج الدراسية وطرق التدريس، وعدم المساواة بين الجنسين. وفي حين بذلت الحكومة جهودا للتصدي لهذه التحديات، لا .يزال هناك الكثير الذي يتعين القيام به لضمان حصول جميع الأطفال المغاربة على تعليم جيد


لتحسين جودة التعليم في المغرب، على الحكومة أن تستثمر في تدريب المعلمين، وتوسيع فرص الحصول على التعليم، وتحديث المناهج وطرق التدريس, وسد الفجوة بين الجنسين في الالتحاق والإنجاز. بالإضافة إلى ذلك، فإن التعاون الدولي أمر حاسم في مواجهة هذه التحديات، ويجب على الحكومة المغربية التعاون مع المنظمات الدولية والتعلم من تجارب البلدان الأخرى التي نجحت في مواجهة تحديات تعليمية مماثلة.
.ومن خلال التصدي لهذه التحديات، يمكن للمغرب تحسين آفاق شبابه، وتعزيز النمو الاقتصادي، وبناء مستقبل أكثر إشراقا للبلاد

Bibliography

Educational Challenges in Ethiopia

Written by Joseph Kamanga

Ethiopia is a country in East Africa with a population of over 100 million people. The country has made significant progress in expanding access to education over the past few decades. However, despite these efforts, the education system in Ethiopia faces several challenges, which have hindered its ability to provide quality education to all students. In this article, we will explore some of the major challenges facing the education system in Ethiopia.

Children engaging with apps and tablets. Photo by Beyond Access.

Access to Education

Access to education is a major challenge in Ethiopia, particularly in rural areas. The country has made significant progress in expanding access to education, with primary school enrollment rates increasing from 20% in 1991 to over 90% in recent years. However, access to education remains limited in rural areas, where schools are often underfunded and understaffed, and students may have to travel long distances to attend school.

To address this challenge, the Ethiopian government has introduced policies aimed at expanding access to education in rural areas. For example, the government has introduced programs to build more schools in rural areas, provide free textbooks to students, and provide school meals to students.

Inflexibility of the curriculum

As researchers in the field of special needs and inclusive education advocate the rights of children with special needs to education, the curriculum that should be adopted should be inclusive by specifying minimum requirements for all learners. The special educational, social, emotional, and physical needs of learners will be addressed if the curriculum developers consider children with disability  during its design and development. Curriculum adaptations do not only benefit students with disabilities, but also facilitate successful learning for all learners in acquiring mastery of context. For many students with disabilities and for many without the key to success in the classroom lies in having appropriate adaptations, accommodations and modifications made to the instruction and other classroom activities.

However, research findings show that in some instances, curriculum is further found to be inflexible, especially with regard to the design and management of timetables. For instance, the timetables most often do not take care of Children with disability yet. In ideal situations, a child with special needs might need more time to accomplish the same assignment that can be done by a non- disabled person.

Children with disability could not receive quality education. This in turn indicates the extent to which our training institutions have deep-rooted problems . Teachers were not well trained in such way that they could teach those students who have a different ability and background. Being proficient in Braille and sign language were not sufficient and organized for in-service trainees. Even those teachers who have trained in special needs and inclusive education were not well equipped in skills of Braille and sign.

Quality training is one of basic ingredients for quality inclusive education. However, teachers’ training has basic problems in educating children according to their specific needs. Children with disability were not receiving quality education. For this, poor teachers’ training and shortage of trained teachers reciprocally have contributed to the delivery of poor quality education for Children with Disability. Though there were few teachers who have been graduated  in special needs and inclusive education, the training in which they have passed did not enable them to be efficient in teaching.

Language

Ethiopia being a multilingual nation faces many challenges in terms of communication which directly affects the education system and curriculum at large. The educational policy seems to be snared in the ideology of ethnic politics that was formally introduced in 1991, with the support of Ethiopian’s constitution after TPLF took power.

This new policy envisaged an education system that made students multilingual but the local languages are to be offered only on the basis of parental preference. The policy states that English language is to be offered from Grade 1 while Ethiopia’s Federal Working Language, like Amharic , is only to be offered after grade 3 and based on the preferences of parents.

Despite the above measures on the language barrier, regional  states have retained power in dictating what language students should use in schools. However after Grade 9 the medium will be strictly English. This has been authorized by the Federal Ministry of Education. In related development, the council of Ministers passed a decision that is believed to make universities more autonomous by authorizing and generating their own income and provide multi-faceted service to the public.

Young Women Students on the Boulevard – Axum (Aksum) – Ethiopia. Photo by Adam Jones.

Ignorance of stakeholders about children’s right to education

As it is believed, stakeholders of education are parents, children in schools, teachers, school principals and supervisors, experts, and officers in the education system. However, there is such discrepancy among stakeholders of education regarding the right of children with disability to education. Whereas, others stakeholders could not recognize the right of children to education fully. The inaccessibility of Education Bureau itself, insufficient budget allocation and unavailability sign language interpreters in schools could be evidence to the extent to which the education system was ignorant of the right of children with disability to education.

Quality of Education

Another major challenge facing the education system in Ethiopia is the quality of education. While the country has made significant progress in expanding access to education, the quality of education remains low, particularly in rural areas. Students in Ethiopia often struggle with basic literacy and numeracy skills, and the country’s education system has been criticized for being rote-based and lacking in creativity.

To address this challenge, the Ethiopian government has introduced policies aimed at improving the quality of education. For example, the government has introduced policies aimed at improving the training and professional development of teachers, promoting the use of technology in education, and improving the curriculum.

However, these efforts have faced challenges, including a lack of resources and infrastructure to support these initiatives.

Infrastructure Gap

The infrastructure gap is another significant challenge facing the education system in Ethiopia. More than 85% of Ethiopians live in rural areas where the infrastructure is not yet well constructed. As a result, houses are dispersed, schools are far-flung, and the topography is full of blockages. Pathways from home to schools are cliffy. With all these, children with motor and visual disabilities particularly have encountered difficulty primarily to go school to the worst to integrate themselves with non-disabled children in school activities.

Infrastructure together with pathways to classroom, offices, guidance, and counselors challenged students with disabilities not to come to school and not to have active participation in the learning process as well. Less restricted environment could enhance the realization of inclusion of Children with Disability. To the opposite of the above fact, however, most pathways are cliffy, ridge and sloppy. To jump such ways was a difficult task  for students with physical and visual disabilities as most of the participants of FGD were of the same mind.

Many schools in Ethiopia lack basic infrastructure, such as classrooms, libraries, and toilets. This infrastructure gap can have a significant impact on the quality of education, with overcrowded classrooms and inadequate facilities hindering students’ ability to learn.

Personnel in the education system pointed out that buildings in most mainstream schools were not constructed with people with disabilities in mind. As it was clearly indicated in the findings, the poor infrastructure together with pathways to classroom, offices, guidance, and counselors, challenged students with disabilities not to come to school and not to have active participation in the learning process as well. Entirely, the primary schools had full of up and down topography, the inclusion of children with mobility impairment had been at its challenge. As a result, the observable fact was that provision of infrastructure seems challenging for the implementers.

To address this challenge, the Ethiopian government has introduced policies aimed at improving the infrastructure in schools. For example, the government has introduced programs to build more schools, renovate existing schools, and provide basic infrastructure, such as toilets and water supply, to schools. However, infrastructure development in Ethiopia faces challenges, including limited resources and inadequate funding for infrastructure development.

Shortage of teachers in special needs education

Teachers, who are trained in special needs, could facilitate the implementation of inclusion of children with disability. To do this, their number should be enough to provide professional support for general education teachers and students with disabilities themselves. However, to contrary, the country is not able to train special needs and inclusive education teachers adequately to meet the demand. Factors that hindered the implementation of inclusive education were the inadequacy of teachers who have trained in special needs and inclusive education. To ensure the realization of inclusion of children with disability, either the general education teachers should have training or special needs and inclusive education teachers should assist them in the classroom.

Ethiopians are agrarians; there is job allotment among householders. As a result, the one looks after the cattle, the other harvests, still the other collects firewood, even the other may fetch water. With all these, hunting schools that have special classes, taking and returning the child with disabilities to these schools subsequently, is  a task that might have no owner . Therefore, the only harsh choice was to hide their child with disability at home.

In the towns, though there are abundant commercial schools, since hiring special needs and inclusive education teachers is costly, and not to enroll children with disability has legal impeachment, they enroll the children with disability and ‘dump’ them without any special support in their compounds. Significantly, the insufficient number of teachers of special needs and inclusive education has hampered the integration of children with disability in to the regular schools.

The shortage of trained and qualified teachers is another significant challenge facing the education system in Ethiopia. The country has a shortage of teachers, particularly in rural areas, where many teachers are untrained and lack the necessary qualifications to teach effectively.

To address this challenge, the Ethiopian government has introduced policies aimed at increasing the number of trained teachers in the country. For example, the government has introduced policies aimed at recruiting more teachers, providing training and professional development for teachers, and improving the salaries and working conditions of teachers.

Teacher training students on technology use. Photo by One Laptop per Child.

Family income/poverty

Most Ethiopians are weak in their income to educate their children. According to previous research done as per the references, the economic factor  could be another factor to educate their children and mostly children with disability in the regular school. Most parents of children in every family member in Ethiopian rural areas have economic engagement. For instance, some are shepherds, some others are farmers, still others collect firewood, and there are also others who accomplish home activities. However, when disability happens to one of those family members, he/she will be dependent on the rest to get daily food. With all this, taking that disabled child to school would be another burden to the family. Then, the choice of the family had to be either to sit the child at home or give for charity organization.

Since disability is a common and heart-breaking phenomenon, it further impoverishes families in need. As a result, not only lack of awareness and the negative attitude of the family, but living from hand-to-mouth caused the society as a whole to hinder children with disability from being included in regular school.

Curriculum Development

The curriculum is a crucial aspect of the education system and plays a significant role in shaping the learning outcomes of students. However, the Ethiopian curriculum has faced criticisms for being outdated, rigid, and lacking relevance to the needs of students and the country’s economy.

To address this challenge, based on the report from ENA, a state owned media, the council of ministers did see undesirable shortcomings of the ongoing system and believed that it did not encourage indigenous knowledge, did not encourage innovation and technology. Thus the Ethiopian government has introduced policies aimed at revising and updating the curriculum. On this not the prime minister of that time Hon. Abiy Ahmed’s cabinet believed that the new curriculum and training policy will bring about changes in terms of addressing the problems from the old system.

The government has introduced a new curriculum framework that emphasizes competency-based education, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills. This new curriculum policy introduced a 6-2-4 system, six years in elementary education, two years of junior school education and four years of high school education.

The new curriculum framework also emphasizes the development of vocational and entrepreneurial skills, which are seen as critical to addressing the country’s unemployment challenges. However, the implementation of the new curriculum framework has faced challenges, including a lack of resources and infrastructure to support the new approach.

Lack of guideline to implement inclusive education

Beyond doubt, teachers and schools at grassroots level, and education heads at the top together require guidelines to let them see how to implement inclusive education. However, issuing the document was not a simple task for Ethiopian education system. One of inclusive policy documents is having prepared a guideline of inclusive education to implement it effectively. Subsequently, if no guideline which leads how to implement inclusive education, the process would be subjected to personal interpretation. The above evidence indicates the extent to which experts and school supervisors were not clear about guideline and strategic plan. The strategic plan may help the education system to check and balance the goal that they were supposed to achieve with the plan that they had already scheduled. If the country had guideline of inclusive education, it would help stakeholders of education to demystify the wrong perception that the stakeholders possessed and would give them clear direction about the implementation of inclusive education.

Ethiopia is one of the multi-ethnic nations in Africa. As a result, the country is exercising multilingual curriculum. No matter how the country has multi-ethnic groups, issuing guidelines of inclusive education would not be costly when it is compared with the benefits that it could bring quality, equity and social justice in our education system. More than its cost, lack of commitment among political leaders has also delayed the endorsement of inclusive guidelines. Although the  country had designed strategic plan of special needs and inclusive education system in 2006 and 2012, this was meant for the purpose of country relief, unfortunately it did not work for all the regions.

Inadequate provision of adapted school materials

Despite measures to adopt an inclusive education policy for all groups, school directors were not willing to include children with disability in the regular schools with reason of shortage of adapted materials. From the previous studies done, it is not only lack of awareness that prevailed among school administration but also shortage of adapted teaching material for students with disabilities. Hence, education experts and school supervisors in common remarked poor provision of special needs equipment as a main challenge to implement inclusion.

Further, The Ministry  of Education and Regional Education Bureaus did not develop a mechanism which could enable them to monitor the schools that have/have not registered a child with disability. At the same time, the bureaus have budget insufficiency. As a result, they could not facilitate even those few schools with slate and stylus, Braille, paper, Braille textbooks, hearing aids, sign language books, wheelchairs and other adapted and modified materials with explanation of budgetary problems. As a result, insufficient provision of adapted school materials has been identified as one of challenges of inclusion of children with disability in to the regular schools. Owing to this fact, students with visual impairment were obliged to learn with no Braille. School supervision reports also tell as the group was attending lessons by listening. Children with hearing impairment had also school attendance with their physical presence

Conclusion

In conclusion, Ethiopia faces significant challenges in its education system, including limited access to education, low quality of education, infrastructure gaps, teacher shortages, and outdated curriculum. While the government has introduced policies aimed at addressing these challenges, there is a need for more concerted efforts to improve the education system in the country. This could include increased investment in education, improved teacher training and support, better infrastructure development, and more relevant and up-to-date curriculum development.

As the reports of the Ministry of Education of Ethiopia, more people affected in the educational system of the country are children with disability who have no access to education yet. Even the majority of those children with disability, who had access to education, were in a fuzzy educational setting. With this, the mode of education to educate children with disability is not marked out clearly. As a result, the education system has faced challenges  to achieve EFA. To ensure inclusion, therefore, identifying the barriers and suggest panacea has a paramount importance to reverse the situation. Theoretically, ecology of human development guided the study to investigate challenges that Ethiopia faced to implement inclusive education.  By addressing these challenges, Ethiopia can work towards providing quality education to all its citizens and improving its socio-economic prospects.

References:

United Nations Development Programme (2019). Ethiopia: Education. Retrieved from http://www.et.undp.org/content/ethiopia/en/home/countryinfo.html

World Bank (2021). Education in Ethiopia. Retrieved from https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/ethiopia/brief/education-in-ethiopia

GEBEYEHU, A. M. (2017). Quality of Education in Ethiopia: From the Perspective of Learners, Teachers and Parents. Journal of Education and Practice, 8(10), 76-85.

World Bank (2018). Ethiopia Education Sector Development Program V: 2015-2020. Retrieved from http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/180601551693773672/Ethiopia-Education-Sector-Development-Program-V-2015-2020

Ethiopian Ministry of Education (2015). Education Sector Development Plan V: 2015-2020. Retrieved from https://www.moe.gov.et/web/guest/-/education-sector-development-plan-v-2015-2020

African Development Bank Group (2018). Ethiopia Country Strategy Paper 2016-2020. Retrieved from https://www.afdb.org/en/documents/document/ethiopia-country-strategy-paper-2016-2020-106665

International Labour Organization (2016). Youth Employment in Ethiopia: An Overview. Retrieved from https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/—ed_emp/documents/publication/wcms_528826.pdf

The World Factbook (2021). Ethiopia. Retrieved from https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/ethiopia/

Tessema, W. K. (2019). The Ethiopian Education System: Current Trends and Future Directions. International Journal of Innovative Research and Development, 8(12), 76-84.

Mohammed, A. (2018). Challenges and Prospects of Education in Ethiopia: A Literature Review. Journal of Education and Practice, 9(1), 21-26

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