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Morocco’s Minister of Education Saaid Amzazi and Minister of Solidarity Jamila El Moussali have pledged to actively work towards making Moroccan schools more inclusive.
The ministers met at the Ministry of Education in Rabat on Monday, October 5, to discuss ways of furthering cooperation between the two departments.
Discussions mainly focused on the implementation of Framework Law 51-17, relating to the inclusion of students in vulnerable situations in the education system. The talks also touched on Framework Law 97-13, which deals with the protection and empowerment of people with disabilities.
During the meeting, Amzazi presented a general assessment on the level of inclusiveness in Moroccan schools.
Since Morocco launched the National Program for Inclusive Education, on June 26, 2019, the Ministry of Education has implemented several measures to make schools more accessible for students with special needs.
Moroccan public schools currently count 700 “inclusive classrooms,” equipped with the necessary tools to ensure education for students with disabilities. The classrooms benefit about 8,000 students.
Amzazi also highlighted the annual increase in the number of students with special needs who took the 2020 national baccalaureate exams.
This year, 539 candidates sat for baccalaureate exams and their success rate reached 68.1%. To ensure proper conditions for students with disabilities, the Ministry of Education has mobilized 450 assistants to help the students move inside exam centers and write their answers.
Collaborative efforts
Moroccan schools are still making their first steps towards becoming inclusive, Amzazi admitted. However, according to him, the project is bound to succeed if the Moroccan government, NGOs, students, and families all collaborate.
For her part, El Moussali shared some of her department’s efforts to support children and students with special needs.
This year, a budget of MAD 167 million ($18 million) was distributed as financial aid to low-income families who have children with disabilities. 276 NGOs helped distribute the fund. In total, the aid benefited 13,321 children, including 2,906 who are enrolled in public schools.
At the end of the meeting, the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Solidarity agreed to formalize their collaboration in the near future through a well-defined legal framework.
