Rabat – A recent decision by Morocco’s Ministry of National Education to exclude employees holding doctoral degrees from competing in higher education recruitment examinations has sparked sharp criticism and threats of collective action.
The National Bureau of the Instance Nationale des Docteurs, representing doctorate holders within the ministry, met on June 6 amid mounting frustration over stalled dialogue and dissatisfaction with how the sector addresses their concerns.
The bureau, affiliated with the National Federation of Education (FNE), made it clear that they reject this exclusion outright.
“The exclusion of doctorate holders working in the Ministry of National Education from higher education competitions is unacceptable,” the bureau stated.
It called on the ministry “to reconsider this decision immediately” and proposed a three-phase integration plan spanning 2024 to 2026 to address the issue fairly and gradually.
The group also advocated for expanded opening of vacant slots, apart from training institutions, to provincial directorates, regional academies, central services, and the Professoriate Center. The broader coverage attempts to distribute more equal opportunities for doctoral holders throughout the education industry.
A wider struggle over promotion, recognition
This controversy runs parallel with a wider and more entrenched conflict that implicates most education workers denied promised promotions and economic rewards.
The FNE statement, addressed to Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch and Minister of National Education Mohamed Saad Barada, articulated the profound frustrations of thousands of employees who, despite years of dedicated service, remain unjustly confined to lower pay grades.
It also accuses the government of turning a deaf ear to the demands of “many education workers deprived of promotion and its administrative and financial consequences,” noting that this injustice has persisted for over 20 years. “Have you not yet heard the cries of these many employees deprived of their legitimate right to promotion outside the scale?” the statement asks.
It notes that the 2003 statutory framework allowed promotion to grade 11, but excluded categories such as primary and secondary teachers, educational specialists, and administrative staff from advancing to the higher grade promised in the 2011 agreement with unions.
The statement also questions the government’s approach: “Does keeping a large segment of education employees stuck at grade 11 for more than 24 years represent genuine care, or does it discourage them from giving their best?” It further asks whether denying retirees the promotion “honors their sacrifices during their careers” or rather dismisses them.
These developments expose persistent inequalities and growing discontent in Morocco’s education sector. While doctoral holders fight to regain access to higher education roles, many other employees demand overdue recognition and fair treatment after years of exclusion.
The unions and the ministry are now under more pressure to deal with these demands or risk prolonged instability in a sector that is vital for Morocco’s development. The coming months will test their capacity to listen and respond to the demands for justice and respect.
