Morocco, Spain Discuss Ways to Include Spanish in Primary Education

Casablanca – ​​Spain and Morocco are examining ways to include Spanish in Moroccan classrooms, in line with a vision for increased cooperation in the educational sector.

In a meeting held yesterday in Madrid, Morocco’s Minister of National Education, Pre-School, and Sports Chakib Benmoussa and his Spanish counterpart Pilar Alegria evaluated ways to develop Spanish as a foreign language in Moroccan schools, mainly by strengthening the training of Spanish teachers.

The two ministers also agreed to continue promoting Arabic education in Spain through the Program for the Teaching of Arabic and Moroccan Culture in Spanish Schools.

In addition to the two ministers, the meeting was also attended by the Secretary of State for Education José Manuel Bar and the Moroccan Ambassador to Spain Karima Benyaich.

Benmoussa and Alegria discussed progress on other educational cooperation projects in the field, such as digitization, teacher training, and bilingual education, among others.

Read also: Morocco, Spain Sign Development Agreements for Education

Educational collaboration is “a priority in bilateral relations” between Morocco and Spain, said the Spanish education minister.

It is one of the pillars of the new phase that began with the adoption of the Joint Declaration following the visit of Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez to Morocco on April 7, she added.  

According to a joint declaration issued at the end of the meeting, it resulted in the formulation of a Memorandum of Understanding for creating Spanish bilingual sections in the scientific field.

During his visit to Spain, the Moroccan minister, accompanied by Manuel Bar, paid a visit to the Spanish Institute of Educational Technology and Teacher Training, where he received explanations of the Spanish education system and the Plan for Digitization and Digital Skills.