Beni Mellal – Morocco has been ranked 154th out of 218 countries and territories in the Insider Monkey Global Education Index for 2024, as published on May 13, 2024. The North African nation received an index score of 0.000002309, placing it in the lower tier of the rankings.
The Insider Monkey Global Education Index is a comprehensive ranking system that assesses the quality and accessibility of education worldwide.
The index, created by financial economist and Insider Monkey co-founder Inan Dogan, uses three key indicators to determine each country’s score: the number of universities ranked in the top 1,000 by QS World University Rankings, the average rank of these universities, and the per capita government expenditure on education.
According to the index, the United States tops the list with an impressive score of 0.999792487, boasting 142 universities in the top 1,000 and a substantial per capita spending of $4,371 on education. The United Kingdom and China follow closely behind, ranking second and third, respectively.
At the other end of the spectrum, Somalia ranks last with a score of 0.000000000, lacking any universities in the top 1,000 and spending a mere $2 per capita on education. Other countries in the bottom five include South Sudan, Central African Republic, Burundi, and Sierra Leone.
Saudi Arabia leads the pack among Arab countries, ranking 16th with an index score of 0.098720043. The Gulf nation has 14 universities in the top 1,000 and a high per capita education expenditure of $2,542. Other notable Arab countries in the ranking include the United Arab Emirates (20th), Lebanon (39th), Egypt (50th), and Jordan (53rd).
Morocco’s 154th ranking can be attributed to its lack of universities in the top 1,000 and a relatively low per capita education expenditure of $230, said Insider Monkey.
The North African kingdom’s higher education sector, particularly in the medical field, is grappling with significant challenges, as evidenced by the recent nationwide boycott by medical and pharmacy students.
Read also: Higher Education in Morocco: Pathways for Transformation and Empowerment
The students are protesting against the government’s decision to reduce their medical education from seven to six years without providing clear accompanying measures or addressing concerns about the potential impact on the quality of their training.
This issue, along with overcrowding in classrooms and hospitals, delayed infrastructure projects, and inadequate student support, has led to a growing sense of frustration among medical students.
The Moroccan Ministry of Higher Education, Research, and Innovation has introduced a national plan aimed at accelerating the transformation of the higher education system in the country.
Higher Education Minister Abdellatif Miraoui has emphasized on multiple occasions that the success of this plan, known as “PACTE ESRI 2030,” relies on the collective mobilization and concerted efforts of all stakeholders involved.
The plan seeks to strengthen language skills, develop self-skills, and reinforce centers of excellence to address the significant challenges related to artificial intelligence and create human capital capable of overcoming constraints and meeting challenges.
