Rabat – The Moroccan government is stepping up its efforts to accelerate the integration of the Amazigh language into the country’s education system.
Mohamed Saad Berrada, the Minister of National Education announced on Monday that more than 3,000 primary school teachers in bilingual classes would receive specialized training to support this important initiative.
Speaking in Rabat during a session in the House of Representatives, Berrada addressed a query from the Progressive Socialist Party (PPS) regarding the promotion of Amazigh language education.
He said 650,936 students are currently enrolled in Amazigh language courses across 3,400 primary schools in Morocco.
This represents a significant 40% coverage of primary education institutions nationwide.
In response to the growing demand for qualified instructors, Berrada outlined the government’s progress in increasing the number of Amazigh language teachers.
In 2021, only 200 teachers were assigned to teach Amazigh. By 2022, the figure rose to 600, then reached 1,200 in 2023. This year, the number of teachers is expected to rise to 1,850.
Berrada noted that these measures are part of a broader strategy to ensure the preservation and promotion of the Amazigh language, which holds major cultural importance in Morocco.
The training initiative for primary school teachers is expected to enhance the quality of education and broaden the reach of Amazigh language instruction across the country.
The government’s ongoing commitment to increasing the number of trained teachers and expanding access to Amazigh language education reflects its dedication to fostering linguistic diversity and ensuring that all students have the opportunity to learn their heritage language.
In 2011, Morocco formally acknowledged Amazigh as one of its official languages. The country also made the Amazigh New Year a paid national holiday, observed every January 14.
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