Rabat – As the English language becomes increasingly important among the new generation of Moroccans, The American School of Marrakech (ASM) celebrates its new recognition as an IB World School.
The ASM opened its doors in 1995 and has since served as the premier English language school in Marrakech. With the new IB diploma programme, the school seeks to provide new opportunities for international higher education to Moroccan students.
The international baccalaureate (IB) is an NGO headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland and its website states that it has “pioneered a movement of international education for over 50 years.”
Additionally, it “focuses on fostering critical thinking and building problem-solving skills, while encouraging diversity, international mindedness, curiosity, and a healthy appetite for learning and excellence.”
The diploma programme provides students aged 16-19 years old with a first-class education consisting of a six-part two-year program: Theory of Knowledge (TOK), Creativity, Activity & Service (CAS), the Extended Essay (EE), project-based learning (PBL), research, and reflection.
The American School of Marrakech diploma programme will begin in September 2021 and boasts that the new accreditation will “lead students to some of the highest-ranking universities in the world.” Data from the IB shows that 3,300 universities across 90 countries worldwide accepted alumni from the diploma programme.
English is the future
The British Council recently released a report underlining the newfound importance of English in Morocco’s next generation.
Read also: ‘English Is The Future’: Young Moroccans See Rapid Shift in Morocco
In the report, approximately 82% of the respondents indicated they have “positive associations with English.” 65% of the survey’s 15-25 year old participants regarded English as important, while 62% felt similarly about Arabic and 47% about French.
Many young Moroccans rely on social media, streaming services like Netflix, and western music to learn English.
The American School of Marrakech’s IB diploma programme will offer new academic opportunities allowing Moroccan students to learn English with highly qualified, diverse instructors with access to unique resources.
The ASM opened a student-designed Digital Design Studio in January and continues to enhance the curriculum through the IB programme as it works to create a fully articulated PK-12 science, technology, engineering, the arts, and mathematics (STEAM) program.
Currently, public higher education institutions in Morocco offer the curriculum in primarily French and Arabic. However, students that wish to study in STEAM fields often face linguistic challenges as courses may also incorporate English to contend with international programs.
During a webinar on the prominence of English in Morocco, Director of the British Council in Morocco, Tony Reilly, spoke to the unique linguistic situation of Moroccan higher education and noted that many Moroccans already speak four out of the six official UN languages.
Multicultural education and the economy
The Moroccan government has sought to retain its homegrown talent by providing new academic opportunities for Moroccans residing abroad (MRE).
In April 2021, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates hosted a conference to demonstrate the economic opportunities that MREs could provide to Morocco due to their specialized linguistic and cultural knowledge.
Although The American School of Marrakech aims to prepare students for the American education system with its new diploma programme, it will undoubtedly impact the education system in Morocco as a pioneer in multicultural education.
The government hopes students will be more inclined to return to Morocco upon graduation from foreign universities and give back to the community that encouraged diversity.
The ASM mission statement states, “We enable students to understand their own culture and broaden their perspective as they learn about and interact with other cultures.”
Alumni of the ASM study in prestigious universities such as Stanford University, Johns Hopkins University, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, and many others. After the implementation of the new IB diploma programme, The American School of Marrakech expects that the opportunity for Moroccan students to study in distinguished universities will increase tenfold.
