Barada Reveals Reform Plan to Improve Teachers’ Status and Develop Infrastructure to Ensure Quality Education
In a comprehensive presentation before the House of Councillors, Saad Barada, the Minister of National Education, Preschool, and Sports, unveiled the measures and steps being taken by the ministry to achieve a qualitative leap in education quality, emphasizing that the heart of this reform is to support teachers and enhance the learning environment.
Barada affirmed that elevating the status of teachers is a top priority, noting efforts to improve their financial and social situation and provide high-quality, continuous training. He highlighted the details of the financial increases approved by the government, which included a general salary increase of 1,500 dirhams divided into two installments and a raise in the compensation for extra hours from 50 to 100 dirhams per hour. This allows teachers to increase their income by up to 1,600 dirhams monthly for providing additional lessons. Furthermore, compensation for administrative burdens for principals, assistant principals, and supervisors ranges between 2,200 and 3,000 dirhams. The minister also mentioned improvements in professional procedures, granting public employee status to all former contractors, and allowing master’s degree holders among middle school teachers to access the framework of secondary school teachers with a monthly increase of 500 dirhams.
Quality learning begins with infrastructure to ensure quality education and equal opportunities. Barada revealed a comprehensive strategy that encompasses educational aspects and infrastructure. Regarding infrastructure, over 2,500 educational institutions are being renovated annually and equipped with internet access and computer devices. As for preschool education, it has reached a coverage rate of 85%, with a commitment to complete coverage by 2028. In terms of teaching methodology, there is a focus on explicit teaching to facilitate understanding and reliance on continuous assessments to track and improve student levels.
Addressing major unresolved social and administrative files, Barada reaffirmed that work is ongoing at a positive pace within technical committees, noting that most previous agreements have already been implemented. Among the prominent issues still unresolved is the file concerning employee income enhancement, which is a significant matter requiring substantial financial resources and comprehensive government decisions. The file concerning managers is still under continuous negotiation to reach appropriate solutions. The minister pointed out that the challenge of compensating for work in difficult areas lies not merely in financial aspects but also in identifying the relevant areas. Results from a second study will be announced before the end of this year, and the committee has started its work to prepare the necessary references for determining weekly teaching hours.
The minister emphasized that the measures being taken reflect a positive trajectory for reform, moving forward without any delay or stalling, in response to questions concerning the educational challenges in rural areas and school dropout rates, as well as Morocco’s decline in the education quality index.
