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Rabat – The Moroccan Ministry of the Interior has said it will “firmly” address all illegal practices that threaten public safety and order in a statement about the contractual teachers’ sit-in overnight Saturday, March 23.
The ministry’s statement, published on March 26, also dealt with the security forces’ response to the protest.
The ministry argued that security forces’ use of water cannon to disperse protesters “was proportionate and respected all legal provisions far from the fabricated images conveyed on social networks.”
Stating that the government has responded positively to contractual teachers’ demands, the ministry condemned their continued protesting and rejection of the government’s offers. The contractual teachers are now in their fourth week of protests.
The ministry stated that security forces conducted a direct dialogue with the protestors to end the overnight sit-in in front of Parliament at midnight before firing water cannons to disperse them.
Security forces fired the water cannons to prohibit acts violating public order, according to the statement.
The statement added that the local authority offered to transport protesters to their respective cities and provide accommodation. The demonstrators rejected the proposal and continued to protest until 2:30 a.m. on Sunday.
Although police attempted to disperse the protesters, some of the protesters “persisted in their practices of incitement and provocation of the public forces,” throwing stones and bottles and injuring 21 police officers and five members of the auxiliary forces, the statement concluded.
Morocco’s Ministry of Higher Education has proposed reforms to improve contractual teachers’ work situation.
The reform would give contractual teachers the same labor protection as permanent teachers, health care, a pension fund, early retirement in case of a permanent sickness, and the right to promotions to posts with greater responsibilities.
Contractual teachers are employed for a fixed term within regional academies.
Compared to permanent teachers who are employed as regular government employees, contractual teachers are entitled to a smaller pension after retirement. Although they receive the same salary, contractors are paid by the academies with whom they have contracted.
