Thousands of kindergarten teachers in Morocco are demanding to be integrated into the public service and to improve their social and professional conditions, claiming they work in inhumane conditions, without any legal coverage that respects their academic qualifications and educational roles.
According to data circulated by teachers’ collectives, the number of workers in the kindergarten sector exceeds 70,000, most of whom hold higher degrees such as bachelor’s, master’s, and doctorate degrees, yet they receive salaries that do not exceed 3,000 dirhams, without a payroll number or any health coverage or social protection.
These teachers assert that their roles are no different from those of primary school teachers, as they work an average of 30 hours per week within public educational institutions, planning and implementing lessons and educational activities daily. However, their administrative and financial conditions do not reflect these responsibilities, which they consider to be “unjust discrimination.”
Teachers complain about the contractual system that ties them to so-called “management” associations, which they describe as “opportunistic,” benefiting from public funds in exchange for mediating their employment without providing any advantages or considering their training and academic qualifications.
Protesters believe that kindergarten education, which has become mandatory under Framework Law 51.17, is still marginalized, despite being the foundational basis for reforming the educational system. They argue that any commitment to educational quality cannot be realized without granting educators their full rights.
Teachers criticized the lack of any official stance from the Ministry of National Education, Preschool, and Sports regarding their demands, denouncing the ongoing silence despite increasing protests and repeated calls for their integration into the new basic framework for the teaching staff.
They also called for an end to what they termed the “managerial chaos” experienced by the associations overseeing this sector, urging regional academies to be granted direct hiring powers and to receive payroll numbers and job scales that preserve their dignity.
The collectives questioned how Morocco can talk about developing education and organizing major international events while ignoring a group that plays a vital role in nurturing and educating children, without the minimum rights stipulated by the constitution and the law.
The protesters emphasize that their continued marginalization threatens the future of kindergarten education and drives competent individuals away from the field, which contradicts the state’s policies and the Royal address that calls for spatial and social justice in providing quality education.
They noted that the government has not included any improvements in their situation in the planned budget increases for 2025, demanding urgent measures to safeguard their dignity and enable them to fulfill their educational roles under conditions that ensure equal rights and obligations with other members of the educational family.
