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Rabat – “We must be able to complete our country’s achievements despite obstacles,” said Head of Government El Othmani in Casablanca.
While speaking Wednesday at the opening of the 14th session of the National Assembly of the Justice and Development Party (PJD), El Othmani said that his government is currently prioritizing education, health, and employment to achieve the targeted reform.
During the forum, attended by representatives from several Arab and African countries—including Jordan, Algeria, Tunisia, Sudan, Chad, and Mauritania—El Othmani said his government will revolutionize the education sector and will soon announce important procedures in the employment sector.
El Othmani added that there are certain political bodies that do not care about citizens’ involvement in politics and try to exhaust all serious attempts to address corruption.
El Othmani, who is also the leader of the Islamist PJD, claimed there is a ferocious media war against his party. The PJD attempts to counterattack the so-called media war with the “necessary vigilance.”
Additionally, PJD’s national secretary, Mohamed Amzaz, called for “protecting the democratic opinion and facing defections with the necessary determination.”
“A real democracy cannot be established with the absence of independency within political bodies,” added Amzazi.
Over the course of a week, with one forum per day, the PJD assembly will discuss topics related to democracy, reform strategies, and the Moroccan experience in economy, education, and human rights.
Read also: Morocco’s Unemployment on the Rise 2018-2028: Report
Realities on the ground
The three sectors El Othmani says he prioritizes present great challenges to Morocco.
According to figures from research group BMI, the current unemployment rate in Morocco is on the rise, up from 9.9 percent to 10.5 percent between 2016 and 2018.
The high unemployment rate is due to several factors. First, employment in the agriculture and public sector, which constitute 40 percent of the country’s formal employment, has declined. Secondly, the poor education system has led to high unemployment.
In the health sector, the main issue to be addressed is the lack of doctors and nurses, especially in rural areas. Morocco is suffering from a shortage of 32,000 doctors and 64,000 nurses.
Health coverage (RAMED) is also an important challenge to be faced. At its launch, RAMED covered 8.5 million beneficiaries; by August 2017, it now must assist more than 12 million beneficiaries.
In the education sector, only 71.7 percent of the population can read and write, while just 64.4 percent of the working-age population has completed secondary education or above.
Morocco’s Minister of Education Said Amzazi has unveiled his new national education plan which focuses on totally reforming the sector.
The new plan aims to develop infrastructure and staff, rethink pedagogy, expand student enrollment and accessible education, support students against violence, and reform education in the private sector.
