Rabat – Social disparities have long been recognized as a prime factor behind students’ educational attainment, and Morocco is no exception to the trend.
A new study from the country’s Higher Commission for Planning (HCP) has shed light on the prime factors causing educational inequality. According to the report, geographical distribution and poverty are the two main factors negatively affecting education equality across Morocco.
The research looked into the country’s pre-schooling system, a factor widely considered important in determining future educational attainment. Findings suggest that children in rural areas are less likely to have early access to preschools than their urban counterparts.
Almost 70% of preschools in Morocco are clustered in urban areas, against 20% in rural areas, the report found, concluding that urban children are 3.5 times more likely to enroll in preschools than rural children.
Another important factor in children’s educational attainment in Morocco is the family’s socio-economic background, the report explained. In addition to income, the educational attainment of the head of the house is also a determining factor in children’s educational attainment.
Children belonging to families with a father having a higher education degree are 2.9 times more likely to access preschools than children whose father has never been to school, and 2 times more likely to access preschools than children whose father has only been to primary school, noted the report.
The profession of the parents is also a strong factor in determining the educational attainment of children.
The report shows that only 16% of children from farming families attend preschools. The number exceeds 85% for families whose heads are high-ranking profiles in managerial positions.
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