MOROCCO’S EDUCATION SYSTEM
Morocco’s Education System Since Morocco achieved its independence, in 1956, its educational system has suffered several changes and it has been the subject of great debates and controversies in the country. Such is the case of the lack of criteria and agreement in the different social and political sectors which has produced a lack of educational policies in the long term, leading to a great unbalance and scarcity of adopted measures. By the end of the 20th century, the intention to accomplish more cohesion and the perpetuation of concrete educational lines of action became apparent, when the king Hassan II decided to create the Education and Training Special Committee with the aim of creating an educational reform to face the collapse he claimed the country was facing in this subject . The points to be strengthened were the country’s illiteracy rate, the quality of teaching, to ease the inequality arising from the standard of living or the student’s gender, to produce a greater development in private teaching, among others. The works carried out by such Committee were compiled and they were part of what was called the “National Education and Training Charter” (CNEF) which worked as a frame of a number of educational reforms that would be carried out in the following decade (called “education decade”) but were not as successful as they had been expected. In light of this situation, the “Education Emergency Program 2009-2012” was issued years later. This program had a plan, which was carried out by the Ministry of Education, that resumed the challenges established by the CNEF and meant a new educational action plan. Its aim was to accomplish full education, to improve languages skills, to optimize education quality and those aspects regarding evaluation and planning in this matter Nowadays, we can see that the Emergency Plan developed some years ago, which had financial support from international organizations, such as the World Bank and the European Union, showed some advances as regards the goals outlined, for example, in the raise of access to education and enrollment (in primary and secondary schools), a reduction in the inequalities due to gender, place of residence or standard of living, a reduction in school drop-out and teacher training. However, it is necessary to clarify that, in spite of all the efforts, there are still many things to do. In this regard, and according to international index , the educational system still has a low academic achievement in primary and secondary school students; it is necessary to update the contents, plans and teaching methods, regional differences, the scarce integration of graduated students to the job market, among others. Currently, in education, the Ministry of Higher Education, Scientific Research and Vocational Training has the responsibility of carrying out policies in said field. Given the centralizing stamp in the matters concerned, in the last years a process to revert it has been put in motion, in order to solve and deal with the problems in the areas by the competent authorities. Morocco’s educational system is strongly influenced by Islamic faith, it fosters principles based on the faith in Allah, the love for the country and the commitment for a constitutional monarchy. In addition, it promotes the dialogue with democratic practices, the respect for traditions in order to train a citizen capable of improving and favoring the development of the country. As regards the population, there are two groups, the Arabs on one side and the Berbers on the other, and as a consequence, we can see a difficult situation in terms of linguistics. Therefore, we can find Classical Arabic or the dialectal or Darija, the Berber or Amazigh language and French coexisting in different places of the country. On the other hand, Spanish language has little presence in the North of the country but not among youngsters.
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Educational competences
As it has been previously stated, the Ministry of Higher Education, Scientific Research and Vocational Training is in charge of education in Morocco. It is strongly centralizing and it is formed by several bodies in charge of specific duties, such as: a Department of Higher Education, another for School Teaching, a Permanent Committee of Programs and sixteen Regional Academies of Education and Training (AREFS). The two latter, given the effort to decentralize educational responsibilities, have become relevant in this field due to the powers given to them. The AREFS are managed by a Director (who is appointed by decree, by proposal of the Minister) and are commanded by a Board. They work together with the Provincial Delegations of Education (which are distributed according to the administrative divisions of the provinces and prefectures) on administrative and pedagogical aspects in their respective districts. These are managed by a Representative, which is in charge of supervising, pedagogically, what has been done in its region, such as the assessment of the teacher’s performance, the qualitative reforms at the centers, the adaptation, renovation and monitoring of the contents in the curricula and the programs of the different subjects. The Representatives also work jointly with the Directors of the educative centers, who, in turn, preside and are ruled by a School Board.
Academic structure
Childhood or preschool education. This educative level reaches boys and girls from 4 to 6 years old and the object is to give them the tools to foster their autonomy, their cognitive and physical development by promoting their socialization. Preschool is stated in the Charte but it hasn’t been incorporated to compulsory education. Preschool centers are created by different parties. Firstly, we find the regional local authorities, but also, any natural or legal person of public or private law, such as non-profit organizations, local communities or public centers. There are different types, as regards content, interlocutors, pedagogical practices or language. Among them we can distinguish two typologies, the Koranic type and the modern one . The first category is divided into M´sid, which are educational centers where religion is taught; they are mainly located in rural areas and they depend on the Ministry of Religious Affairs and, on the other hand, the Kuttáb or renovated Koranic schools which are similar to kinder gardens and, although they have religious roots or are related to their beliefs and origins (but not so much as the others), they depend of the Ministry of National Education. On the other hand, the modern preschool type takes into consideration the public, semi-public and private kinder gardens and nursery schools belonging to cultural services of countries such as Spain, France, among others.
Primary school level. Also known as elementary school or basic school, this compulsory stage of education includes Moroccan children from 6 to 12 years old. It includes students who did preschool level and all boys and girls who have turned 6 years of age. It is divided in two cycles, the first cycle lasts two years and its object is to strengthen and extend the knowledge acquired in preschool to balance the learning skills of all the children and then, when they turn 8 years of age, they can start the next cycle under the same conditions as regards acquired knowledge. The next cycle lasts four years and its object is to intensify the knowledge acquired up to that moment. It emphasizes religious, ethical and civil aspects in reading and writing (specially in Arabic language and the first foreign language). At the end of the cycle a Certificate on Primary Studies (CEP) is obtained.
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Secondary school level. This learning level is aimed at youngsters until 18 years of age. It is divided in two independent cycles, middle school (compulsory) and qualifying secondary school (post-compulsory). Middle school This is a three-year term and it is required to obtain the CEP. At the end of it, the Brévet d’ Enseignement Collégial (BEC) is obtained. This is to certify and entitle students to begin the following school level. It provides knowledge in different areas, such as Maths, Natural and Social Sciences, the Environment, Sports, Technology, among others, with the purpose of guiding students to active life (for example, to get in the job world) or their next training in accordance with the orientation chosen by the student . In this respect, there is a possibility to be inserted in vocational training under the Vocational Training Specialization Cycles.
Qualifying secondary school. When youngsters turn 15 years of age, they begin this level education which must be finished by the age of 18 years (it depends on the educational path chosen by the student). There are different orientations according to the interests of the students and it shows three: general training, technical training and vocational training, each of which has two types of degree (general or technological-professional degree). Apart from what has been previously explained, there is a Professional Qualification Cycle to which students have access to with or without the BEC. The duration is between one or two years, the aim of this training is for students to gain experience in the job field through practices that may enrich them. Besides, it offers a degree known as Professional Qualification Diploma (DQP). Prior to entering the Secondary school, it is necessary to go through a Core curriculum, which can be done only by holders of the BEC. This course has a duration of one year, it works as a transition between both secondary school cycles and it has common and specialized units, depending on the student’s requests. The next stage is the Secondary school course with a duration of two years. Students may choose one of the two types, as follows: • General Secondary Education: it provides a warrant for the student to continue its studies in a higher level, by giving them a degree on General Secondary Education (BEG). There are different areas to be chosen, such as Humanities, Economy and management, Experimental Sciences, Maths Sciences, etc. • Technological-professional Education: students from the Core curriculum or those who have the DQP may take this course. It allows, like the General course, to get inserted in the job life or in one of the fields on higher technical training by obtaining the Technological and Professional Education Diploma (BEPT).
Higher education After the educational reform as a consequence of the CNEF, since 2003 it has been intended to organize university degrees in the same form as the other countries members of the European Union; these are Bachelor degree, Master degree and Doctoral degree. In 2006 the first students got their degrees under these standards in Morocco. They obtained their first University degrees and a few years later (2008) the first students got their Master degrees. It is for them that the first step in the university is to get two possible degrees, the Professional University Studies Diploma (DEUP) which allows the entrance to working life, or the Fundamental University Studies Diploma (DEUF), which gives access to further education , that is to say, to a Bachelor degree. This career has a duration of at least three years, it is divided in semesters and it allows students to do the Master course.
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The latter comprises the second university cycle and it ends after four semesters; after that, if so desired, a Doctoral degree could be obtained after passing of a doctoral thesis (the duration of which may not be shorter than three years). The Doctorate may be done in some of the centers which, under the frame of the Training and Research Unit (UFR), allow to prepare such level. On the other hand, there is another type of non-university offer which needs more specific knowledge. Therefore, we can find the Higher schools or Great Schools (Grandes Écoles) and Specialized Institutes. In order to enter in these educative institutions, not only a secondary school degree is needed, as in the universities, but also, in many cases, a good secondary school average is required and preparation at the Preparatory Schools where students study during a year to sit for an entrance exam and after approval they can enroll in said institutions. The duration of the careers in these educative institutions is of two or three years and it grants the Higher Technician Diploma.
Original teaching This type of training, which is more and more in disuse, is biased by the traditional teaching still given in some centers. Its objective is to incorporate Islamic disciplines and the Arabic language, as well as history, law and philosophy. At the secondary school level, two types of degree are offered, one of them is about law and literature and the other is scientific. They are also present at the higher level where studies can be continued in the respective centers.
Compulsory school attendance As it was previously stated, compulsory learning in Morocco’s educational system begins in primary school, preschool is not included. The obligation to attend classes extends to secondary school education, specifically in middle school so, qualifying learning of the same level is not included. This structure is framed by the law passed on May 25th, 2000 and it is intended to all Moroccan children, of both genders, even though it appeared for the first time in the year 1963, the scope didn’t reach the current levels or the population in question . To sum up, compulsory attendance accounts for 9 years of studies and it includes children from 6 to 15 years old.
Funding The kinds of funding are divided according to the educative centers, so we can find public, semi-public and private funding. The first ones are entirely financed by the State and they comprise 94% of the students enrolled in school, taking into account that in rural areas there aren’t many public centers and they lack of building improvements. Private training centers are created, managed and financed by private initiatives or foreign cultural services and they comprise the remaining 6% of the students. It is important to highlight that Morocco has received important investments from several countries and international organizations in order to improve the educational quality of said region.
Vocational training Since 1963, the Vocational Training has an institutional presence in Morocco due to the creation of a High Committee for Vocational Training. Since then, a kind of training has been built and by 1984 it would suffer an important reform process, based on three principles. These were to improve educational quality, to create devices for the connection between study and work and the revaluation of human resources and socioeconomic promotion.
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Since then, this kind of education is in a path of progress and setbacks with the aim of providing Morocco’s citizens with education and work tools which are key to their development . Today, Vocational Training in Morocco is conceived as an instrument, especially for the disadvantaged, to get inserted in the job world. Therefore, this kind of training is contrasted with qualified secondary education to which only wealthy sectors have access. This is due to multiple factors which have played in detriment of Vocational Training and have depreciated it as a type of learning, such as the lack of teacher training and the shortage of teachers (they can’t educate the whole population in each territory) , the lack of development in Continuous Training, among others. For that reason, framed in the educative reform stated in the Charte, there has been an attempt to position Vocational Training as hierarchy teaching aimed at training professionals capable of dealing with different difficulties in different fields. Therefore, we can currently find Vocational Training under different patterns. On the one hand, there is Initial Training, which is organized in accordance with the education level of the student, it has different degrees , according to the training achieved. It is also given in different ways, such as in-house (mainly at the Vocational Training Center with few hours of practice in companies), the alternative (half the training is given in companies as practice, while the remaining half is given at the Vocational Training Center) and for learning (this takes place 80% in the company and the rest at the Center). On the other hand, Qualifying Training is aimed at inserting Moroccans into the job market by means of suitable training according to the demand of the productive sectors and, finally, Training in Employment courses are related to the training of workers in order to favor productivity in their respective companies. This offer is institutionally framed by the Ministry of National Education and Vocational Training created in the year 2013. Inside this, the Vocational Training Department is responsible for the policies carried out in this subject. For that purpose, it articulates with different parties involved, from organizations and professional organizations, business and professional associations, other ministerial departments related to the subject, the Office for promotion of employment, sectoral Institutes for auxiliary representatives and professionals and even the public and private Vocational Training Centers themselves. Within the job scope, in 2000 the National Agency for Promotion of Employment and Professional Skills (ANAPEC) was created, and its object is to contribute to the organization and execution of employment programs supported by public authorities. Furthermore, it fosters migration after the evaluation of job offers from foreign countries and the opportunity to place local people abroad. For that purpose, it has opened organisms in different countries in order to create a network operating in favor of Moroccan workers.
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Bibliography: • Ministry of National Education of Morocco http://www.men.gov.ar • National Agency for the Promotion of Employment and Professional Skills (ANAPEC) http://www.anapec.org • COSEF (2000): Charte Nationale d’Éducation et de Formation. Recovered in: http://www.cosef.ac.ma/charte/menu.htm • United Nations Organization for Education, Science and Culture (UNESCO) http://www.unesco.org • Organization of Ibero-American States http://www.oei.es • World Bank http://www.bancomundial.org/es • Llorent Vedmar, V. (2001). La educación secundaria en el Reino de Marruecos: realidad, deseos y reformas. Revista española de educación comparada, 7, 167-190. • Llorent Vedmar, V. (2012). El sistema escolar de Marruecos: tiempo de reforma. Revista Fuentes, 12, 117138. • Berengueras Pont, M.M. (2013). El sistema educativo de Marruecos. Revista de la Asociación de Inspectores de Educación de España, 9, 1-19. • Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports of Spain (2015). Guía para docentes y asesores españoles en Marruecos y Túnez. Catálogo de publicaciones del Ministerio, 36-47.
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ATTACHMENT
Vocational training: Structural strength in recent years
Creation of the OFPPT Creation of the Vocational Training Law
Creation of the Vocational Training Ministry
Creation of the ESITH, an entity with a delegated management system
1995
1998
1974 1963 Creation of the High Commissioner for Vocational Training
1984 Vocational Training Reform
1996 - Legal Framework for Alternation Designation of GIAC and CSF
- Learning Institute Formalization of GIAC - Status of private procedures Vocational Training 2000
1999 National Charter on Education and Training - Creation of ANAPEC
Designation of the High Council of - Last formalization Education, Training, of CSF procedures New and Scientific - National Court for Constitution of Research vocational training the Kingdom
2003
2006
2002 2005 Government Organization and designation of the command (400,000) Victors Vocational on the horizon Training Secretary
2011
2008 2013 - Vocational National Ministry Training of Education and Emergency Plan Vocational Training 2008/2012 - Beginning of the development of sector plans with PNEI
LEVELS OF PROFESSIONAL TRAINING IN MOROCCO VOCATIONAL TRAINING
EDUCATION LEVEL Secondary School 2nd year of qualifying secondary school
INITIAL (In-house, alternative and for learning)
3rd year of middle school 4th year of the second cycle in primary education To learn how to read, write and calculate
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CERTIFICATION
DURATION
Technical Specialist
2 years
Technical
2 years
Qualification
Depends on the time it takes to acquire the skills
Specialization
Depends on the time it takes to acquire the skills
Learning certificate
It may vary according to the job and qualifications
FORMACIÓN CUALIFICANTE
The results and certifications will be subject to the incorporation of students to the job market.
It may vary according to the job and qualifications
FORMACIÓN EN CURSOS DE EMPLEO
The results and certifications will be subject to social and professional promotion of workers and to the company’s productivity.
It may vary according to the professional field
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ACADEMIC STRUCTURE OF MOROCCO’S EDUCATION SYSTEM
Doctorate TRAINING IN EMPLOYMENT COURSES
Master Higher Education
Bachelor degree Professional University Learning or Fundamental University Learning
QUALIFYING TRAINING
18 years old
Secondary Education
Qualifying Learning
General Learning Degree
Core Curriculum Cycle
15 years old
Technical Specialist
Technological and professional Learning
Technical INITIAL PT*
Middle School
Qualification
2nd cycle
Specialization
12 years old
8 years old
Primary Education
Learning certificate
1st cycle
6 years old
4 years old
Preschool Education
References Compulsory Education * Not included in compulsory education
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