Rabat — Morocco has introduced major shifts to how prison staff are managed in a move to improve working conditions and reward them with better pay, announced on Thursday the General Delegation for Prison Administration and Reintegration (DGAPR).
The Government Council approved the updated status and aims to motivate staff to work efficiently and professionally, the statement noted, detailing that the new system will also secure prison administration by treating staff like those in other military and paramilitary departments.
According to the DGAPR, these latest changes aim to enhance the security and paramilitary dimension of prison administration staff and raise the financial package of the workforce with new allowances and clearer rules for promotions.
“This status seeks to motivate sector personnel to carry out their professional duties and responsibilities with the required efficiency,” said a DGAPR spokesperson.
The new rules overhaul how prison staff are ranked and paid and new promotions are going to focus on merit, performance, and professionalism, they added.
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Doctors and engineers can now be hired to work in the prison system as part of this latest update, while staff from other government departments can also return to prison administration if they want.
The DGAPR is also upgrading how it hires, trains, and manages staff to make the system run more smoothly. These changes are designed to address the dangerous and demanding conditions of working in prisons.
Last May, a report accused Toulal 2 prison staff in Meknes of abusing inmates, working with drug lords, and forcing prisoners to serve them.
The DGAPR has strongly denied these claims, calling them “pure slanders.”
An investigation found no proof to back up the claims, it said in a statement. However, it confirmed that inmates who work are chosen according to their good nature and behaviour and kept in check at all times.
The DGAPR believes the false report was an attempt to pressure staff and stop them from doing their jobs properly.
Through this status update, The DGAPR hopes the new rules will make staff feel supported and ensure prisons are safer and better run.
