Casablanca – Due to rising inflation, the number of students registered in private educational institutions in Morocco has decreased by 7% for the 2022-2023 academic year, suggesting that the severe cost-of-living crisis may have forced some parents to enroll their children in public schools.
Out of around 8 million students returning to school this academic year, 6.9 million students are enrolled in public schools, while 1.1 million are enrolled in private schools, Education Minister Chakib Benmoussa announced at a press conference on Tuesday, September 6.
According to the data presented by the minister, 771,000 new students have entered the first year of primary school this year, an increase of 5% compared to last year. At the same time, the overall number of students enrolled in the various schools has increased by 1% compared to last year.
This development benefited the public school system, with an increase of 2.4%, compared to a 7% decrease in the number of students enrolled in private schools, Minister Benmoussa explained.
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The 2022-2023 school year began in Morocco on September 5 for elementary, middle, and high schools.
The Moroccan government has pledged direct financial assistance to textbook producers who offer elementary and high school texts to support families in affording school textbooks.
Specifically, the government has provided textbook producers with a MAD 105 million ($9.9 million) subsidy to maintain price stability amid citizens’ declining purchasing power.
The government’s decision came after the publishers announced plans to raise textbook prices by 30% in the current school year, raising concerns among parents whose purchasing power has already been devastatingly hit by the ongoing cost-of-living and energy crisis.
