Rabat – The transfer of students from private to public schools, in light of the prominence of remote education in Morocco, is worrying private school owners and putting them in difficult financial situations.
In a letter shared by 2M on Monday, the directors of private schools in Sidi Yahya El Gharb, 30 kilometers east of Kenitra, urge the local education directorate to put in place some measures to prevent students from going to public schools.
Students in Sidi Yahya El Gharb, like in many cities across Morocco, are studying remotely because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The ban on in-person education has led many parents to rethink the enrollment of their children in private schools.
Since there is no major difference between private and public schools when it comes to the quality of remote education, many parents opted for public schools to save on enrollment and education fees, which can be quite high in private schools.
The situation threatens to “leave private schools empty and cause them bankruptcy,” the directors’ letter said.
Private school owners called on the Ministry of Education and its regional directorates to stop approving the transfer requests of students from private to public schools, contradicting the laws regulating private education in Morocco.
Illegal procedures
Some private schools have already taken matters into their own hands, refusing to hand out students’ certificates before parents pay missing fees from the previous school year.
Several news stories reported on the issue in many cities across Morocco, including Rabat, Temara, and Casablanca.
Private schools in Laayoune, southern Morocco, made a similar request to their local education directorate last week.
However, the provincial directorate of education in Laayoune refused the demand, saying it is against the law.
“Transfer requests, along with other certificates, such as report cards and diplomas, are part of students’ rights and cannot be linked to any type of dispute,” the directorate said.
