As Morocco becomes more global, proficiency in the English language is no longer a luxury but a necessity. Unfortunately, the state of English language development in Morocco is woefully inadequate. This failure to grasp the imperative is due to a myriad of reasons. Moroccans are experiencing the results of these delays. Lack of employment and promotion in the workplace is just the beginning.
First and foremost, Moroccans have a too heavy reliance on social media to develop and practice English. Many students and their parents are deluded into thinking that English can be learnt by engaging in conversations while video gaming, reading TikTok posts or listening to American rap.
While these platforms can provide some exposure to the language, they are far from sufficient for achieving true proficiency. You’ll never be able to pass a university entrance exam by only listening to Beyonce and playing Fortnight! Learning a language requires expert structured education, practice, and immersion in various contexts, which social media alone cannot provide.
Parents also play a significant role in this debacle. Because they, themselves, suffered from poor English training when they were at school, far too many parents are blissfully unaware of the appallingly poor standards of English training given to their children in the elite French schools they pay exorbitant fees for. Parents, if you only had a clue as to how bad it is, you would demand a refund.
I have taught Moroccan teenagers from these French schools for over a decade. Year after year after year, I have to correct the same mistakes in pronunciation and witness the same disturbingly poor understanding of even the most basic rudiments of English. Your children can’t even pronounce “bought” or “law” correctly! I don’t blame the student. It is evident that the French education system is at fault, not the students themselves.
While the Moroccan government is taking some steps to develop the English skills of its citizens, through its expansion of English learning hours in middle schools (or colleges), these efforts are far from adequate. The current initiatives lack a sense of urgency. The government fails to recognize the pressing need for Morocco to become proficient in English.
Countries like Syria, Qatar, and other Arab nations made this much-needed transition in the 1980s and 1990s, so Morocco is already half a century behind. The time for complacency is over. It is high-time Moroccan citizens, the government and businesses stop doing the minimum, stop hoping for some language miracle and start to proactively address these issues head-on. It is time to make concerted efforts to become an Arab-English speaking nation before 50 years turns into 60 years of almost total inactivity.
Rather than waiting for high-level English proficiency to organically spread throughout the land, a proactive approach is needed from all stakeholders. This should come from the government, businesses, parents, and students alike – but the government should take the lead since they have the resources to make a huge difference quickly.
To begin with, the government should mandate that all new street signage and tourist information be written in English alongside French and Arabic, or even better, have English replace French. Major infrastructural projects, such as the new tram system in Casablanca and the expansion of the high-speed train to Marrakech, should be seen as welcoming opportunities to integrate English into the very fabric of modern Morocco.
Naming tram and train stations in English would be a step in the right direction, yet there is no indication that this has even been considered let alone acted upon. Making English visible throughout Morocco would enable faster learning and acceptance. It would also be more welcoming to the growing number of international tourists to Morocco.
The Education Ministry also must also embrace and utilize the English-speaking expatriate community in Morocco. Unfortunately, volunteering in schools is often stymied by bureaucratic red tape, deterring well-meaning individuals from offering their support. As a result, over-stretched English teachers are left to manage hundreds of students on their own, while willing volunteers – like myself – walk past schools every day, frustrated by the barriers we face to volunteering.
Parents, too, need to be fully aware of the basic and inefficient English teaching their children are receiving and demand a much higher quality of instruction. It would be fantastic if parents campaigned for English speaking volunteers to be able to work in schools – not just teaching the students, but also help develop the English skills of teachers.
Businesses must also recognize the marketing advantages of incorporating English. Companies that use English demonstrate a forward-thinking attitude and a commitment to the future of modern Morocco. Many young Moroccans view French negatively. Yet, Moroccan businesses persistently cling to the idea that French in their advertising is positive.
In conclusion, only with concerted effort and commitment from all sectors of society can Morocco hope to overcome the harmful deficiencies in its current approach to English education in order to secure a prosperous future for its citizens. Morocco has left it far too late to be able to take a slow
approach to switching from French to English. It is imperative that we all take decisive action now to ensure that all generations of Moroccans are equipped with the English skills they will need to thrive in an increasingly globalized Morocco.
Read Also: Morocco Maintains 76th Rank in Global English Proficiency Index, Low Proficiency Persists
