Strike shuts Moroccan public schools
2009-11-03
Fed up with overcrowded classrooms and other problems in public schools, several Moroccan teachers' unions held a strike on October 29th.
By Siham Ali for Magharebia in Rabat – 03/11/09
 [Abdelhak Senna/AFP/Getty Images] Teachers' protests brought studies to a halt across Morocco on Thursday. |
Four Moroccan teachers' unions paralysed public schools nationwide on Thursday (October 29th) by striking to protest problems that include shortages of instructors and overcrowded classrooms.
The unions are also protesting poor infrastructure and changes in the promotions process.
The decision to walk out was taken "after an attempt to restart dialogue with the education ministry failed last September", said Abdelmajid El Gharss, a representative of the National Teaching Federation, which organised the strike along with the National Federation of State Sector Education Workers, the National Teaching Union, and the Autonomous Teaching Federation.
"We have not ruled out the possibility that the strike action will be intensified if the department in charge does not respond," added Gharss, who blamed the government for any damaging effects the strike might have on students.
According to the unions, 90% of teachers refused to show up for work. However, a Ministry of Education statement put the rate at only 59.7%. The statement also accused the unions of being "more political in nature, and out of step with other grievances in the sector".
The promotions issue hinges on what the unions call the government's failure to honour an August 2007 agreement that would increase promotions and cut the number of years educators must teach before they can take professional examinations from six to four.
In Parliament on October 28th, MPs also expressed dissatisfaction with school system conditions. Many assailed Minister of Education Ahmed Akhchichine for failing to improve the teachers' situation and public-school infrastructure. They also raised concerns over classroom overcrowding and allowances paid to teachers.
The minister deflected the criticism, saying "nobody disputes the importance of improving conditions for teachers". He said the teachers' plight was tied to that of the public sector as a whole, and claimed that his ministry was not solely responsible.
The minister assured MPs that allowances for teachers in remote and inaccessible areas would be discussed.
Akhchichine also said that considerable efforts are being made to deal with teaching personnel shortages as part of the national education emergency plan introduced in September 2009.
"The ministry is having a hard time finding qualified staff, given the current number of teachers in training, but we are working diligently with civil society groups and others to rectify the problem," said Akhchichine.
"We have seen a lot of grandstanding and negative talk, which have nothing to do with what is happening on the ground," added the minister. "It's of no concern to us – we are moving forward."
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Moroccan Patriot Posted 20 days ago
The horrible condition of the Moroccan Public School system cannot be exagerated. When a countries education system is ranked behind that of the Gaza strip, you know you are in trouble. To think that Gazan children who have to endure humiliating roadblocks, literally dodge bullets and often do not have access to clean drinking water recieve a better education than Moroccan students, you do not really need to wonder how it is that less than 5% of all current 1st grade students will graduate from University. It is easy to talk about the problems... how about solutions? Well here are some solutions: Eliminate the ministry of Education. Education improves when beauracracy is decreased. The ministry of Education is a bloated, Corruption plagued institution that is ineffective at best and often criminal in the kinds of activity it does undertake. You cannot have a successful Education system when more than 50% of your budget goes to administration. The Academies and Delegations have long been considered Dream jobs in Morocco. The reason being that people who work in these offices never actually do any work. They often have second jobs and collect a pay check for putting their coats on a chair. Employees at the Delegations and Academies should justify their job. They need to explain in detail what it is that they have done in the last year and what they will do over the next year that justifies why they should continue recieving a paycheck from the Moroccan treasury. The larger the paycheck, the more they should be prepared to write and the more evidence they should be required to show. Teachers should teach 30 hours of class time a week. They should not be allowed to teach in Private schools and should be paid 5,000 Dh to 12000 dh a month after 5 years.
lamisse Posted 10 days ago
hay im frome morocco pls can you help me i have tomorrow exposé about education in morocco. the ways of education in morocco. the problems. the solutions.education systems... pllllllllllllllllls sombody help me
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