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Rabat – Morocco will establish 21 new universities with merit-based admissions in the coming two years as demand for higher education increases. Idris Aouicha, Delegate Minister in charge of Higher Education and Scientific Research, announced the new plan on Tuesday, January 26.
With demand for high-quality higher education increasing throughout Morocco, the government aims to create new university institutions aimed at the most talented young Moroccans. Delegate Minister Aouicha had been asked to increase the number of merit-based institutions by the Independence and Equivalence Team of Morocco’s upper house of parliament.
The parliamentary body had requested that Aouicha increase in particular institutions that require additional tests prior to admission, as well as solid high school grades.
Morocco is aiming to rapidly boost its capacity to educate gifted students in these merit-based institutions. These “institutions with limited access” currently make up 81 out of a total 147 universities in Morocco and teach 659,128 students out of over one million students currently enrolled in higher education.
With a young population, Morocco is seeing increased demand for quality higher education, with a focus on training future engineers, doctors and specialized professionals. Morocco is increasing the number of such universities to meet its educational targets. According to the government, the plan is an important part of the Kingdom’s development priorities, notably its ambitions to boost youth empowerment and reform the education system.
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Over the past four years, Morocco has opened roughly 40 new universities. In 2020-2021, the government established 11 new “limited access” universities in Agadir, Beni Mellal, Casablanca, Fakih Bensalah, Fez, Al Jadida and Kenitra.
While the new institutions are all public, Delegate Minister Aouicha continues to see private universities in Morocco as an essential partner to those run by the government. Aouicha stated that private universities increase the number of options available to Morocco’s students.
Private education itself has also been strengthened by the new public institutions, according to Aouicha. The minister expressed confidence that a new class of universities and merit-based institutions will help alleviate the pressure on already existing universities and diversify the available options to Morocco’s talented youth.
