Rabat – Morocco’s Minister of higher education, scientific research and innovation Abdellatif Miraoui, said on Monday that this year’s student accommodations include 24 dorms equipped with 54,000 beds, an increase of 7% compared to the previous academic year.
Speaking before the House of Representatives on “the extension of university campuses due to the increase in the number of baccalaureate graduates,” Miraoui underlined that the pandemic has decreased by 30% the number of beds (38,000) in university dorms across the country.
The minister emphasized the importance of improving the dorms conditions to ensure the access to higher education for all, detailing that the newly enrolled students will benefit from 21,000 beds, while former students will have 17,000 beds.
Miraoui noted that many students dorms have undergone extension work, including those of Tetouan-M’diq (1,100 beds), the university dorms in Errachidia (1,000 beds), highlighting that the agadir Tilila university dorms, which will be inaugurated on February, consists of 1,400 beds.
In addition to increasing the number of beds in the existing dorms, the minister pointed out other construction programs that aim to include 3,048 additional beds in several university dormitories.
There are also other projects to provide 4,550 more beds to dormitories located in Nador, Tza, Kenitra, and Mohammedia.
Responding to another question about the low budget items created for non-civil servant PhD holders at the national level, Miraoui rejected suggestions that there had been a decrease in the number of new positions dedicated to this specific category of students.
The number of non-civil servant PhD holders has gone up from 400 in 2017 to 800 in 2022, he added.
Miraoui concluded his speech by noting that the ministry will increase the budget to meet the pedagogical requirements and improve scientific research and innovation, emphasizing the notable role of such tools in improving Morocco’s educational system.
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