Azeddine Medaoui, the Minister of Higher Education, Scientific Research, and Innovation, revealed that “discussions are ongoing with the network of deans of medical and pharmaceutical faculties to lower the entry threshold to 12 points this year, after it was around 14.85 points and decreased to 12 points by 2023, before rising again to 13 points last year.”
This statement was made in response to questions from parliamentary counselors on Tuesday, clarifying that “the admission rates to limited enrollment institutions were higher in the past, and the seats in these institutions were also limited to 20,000, while today they have increased to 60,000.”
The government official affirmed that “efforts are being made to reduce the burden of this threshold while increasing the number of faculties and students as well. For example, we now have faculties in Laayoune, Beni Mellal, El Jadida, and Errachidia for medicine, and the same applies to engineering and management schools ENCG.”
In a different context, the Minister of Higher Education, Scientific Research, and Innovation stated that “there will be no return to the issue of free admission to the master’s program for employees,” noting that “Moroccan universities, due to their autonomy and through their administrative councils, are trying to address the constraints faced by employees and staff who do not have the time for studies.”
He also highlighted that “if an employee does not wish to pay the fees imposed by the university, they must register with students during the regular schedule; we have included the provision for flexible timing in the law governing higher education, which is currently in its final stages at the Higher Council for Education, Training, and Scientific Research.”
Abdelkader Kahil, a counselor for the Istiqlal Party, pointed out what he termed “the problem of rising enrollment fees at Moroccan universities for employees,” expressing surprise that some fees have reached 25,000 or 30,000 dirhams, in addition to the existence of “favoritism” in certain universities, as he put it.
In a separate context, the Minister of Higher Education, Scientific Research, and Innovation acknowledged that “the ratio of pedagogical and administrative supervision does not reach international standards, while there have been considerable efforts, as the ministry has been employing around 1,000 doctors since last year to complete 90 hours each.”
He also mentioned “the adoption of new teaching methods, alongside a number of fields of knowledge that do not necessarily require direct supervision and physical attendance,” at a time when parliamentary counselors have called for “a re-evaluation of the program to accelerate the transformation of the higher education system PACTE ESRI 2030.”
On Tuesday, Azeddine Medaoui also faced direct parliamentary questions regarding the delay in promoting higher education professors in Morocco, explaining that “the ministry attaches great importance to this issue, as promotion goes through several stages, starting with scientific committees at the university level, then bi-committees, and finally the ministry.” He added, “We prefer delays in procedures to ensure that everyone benefits.”
