Written by: EL OTMANI EL HASSANE
Guelmim, July 12, 2014
I have recently had the opportunity to reflect on the controversial issue of the Moroccan educational system, and its successive failure that has negatively influenced the social lives of people in Morocco. This process of reflection was prompted by my strong concern about the field of education and every changes and trends that has happened since the beginning of the 21 century.
On a more personal level I have lately made a transition from part time to full time academic life to enable me to theorize, speculate and reflect deeply on this field of interest. It is some 2 years since I completed my B.A in English language studies, and went to work in different parts of the country as a freelance teacher. I have participated in many different conferences, debates, as well as teaching training programs since then.
Looking back over the last 2 years, at the influences that have shaped my own thinking and professional experience and reflecting on the current “setbacks” of our educational system prompted me to ask one basic question: Isn’t it time for that a long waited change in Moroccan education? To explore this question I made use of the information obtained from the activities mentioned above and throughout what I have read, heard and witnessed as well as my experience in this field.
Apart from the point I made above, I wish to say that one of the impediments to social change in education in Morocco is there is more talking than doing. I cannot stress enough the vital role of good education in the development and the advancement of nations and civilizations in the world. Therefore, I strongly believe that education is very important in our lives. Education ameliorates people’s lives, enhances their self-esteem, their ability to learn new things which will help them expand their knowledge, and their ability to cope with the majority of the society. It makes them self-confident and informed populace that can understand issues, represent themselves, and take responsibility. Besides, Education is the basic element and foundation stone in any country’s development.
The aim of this article, therefore, is to show that parents, teachers as well as students graduated from the Moroccan public and private schools and the civil society in general are not very pleased with their educational system. Thus, it can be taken for granted that without teachers, parents and students’ satisfaction no reform can be attained.
To tackle the issue more precisely, it is urgently needed from all of us, especially the so-called current ministry of education to quickly think about urgent solutions to heal the wounds of education in this country.
On the other hand, I strictly believe that an absence of a clear vision of how to effectively reform our educational system is what impedes our ministry of education in Morocco. As I see it, such a vision should be built on adopting what has been achieved beforehand and use the current available means and resources to positively save our educational system and affect future plans.
In spite of successive reforms since independence, on the ground there has been no tangible change so far. To illustrate this, looking back over the last 6 years, exactly in 2009, the ministry of education launched a three-year-emergency plan in order to put an end to the deplorable state of education system. However, the plan proved to be a failure along with other launched plans over the last years.
Accordingly, the failure of our educational system is basically interconnected to many variables that can either be linked to students, curriculum designers, teachers, policy makers or parents. Hence, I personally believe that all attentions should be concentrated on both teachers and students or even parents as the main social factors who can play an important role in the progress of education.
Eventually, for the educational system to succeed in Morocco, a highly qualified and sophisticated ministry of education is urgently needed. A ministry of education that truly values, acknowledges, and recognizes the potentials and abilities of its graduated students.
Last but not least, I cannot oversee the fact that a successful social change in education requires the engagement of civil society, teachers, students along with parents in school matters, as a part of the solution to improving and bringing about that long awaited social change in the Moroccan educational system.
