| Education System in Morocco |
Education in Morocco is compulsory through to age 15 and free. Notwithstanding this, many children in rural areas (especially girls) fail to attend. Those who do, often drop out before they reach secondary school level, and there are shocking gaps in literacy because of these unfortunate trends. The primary school program is designed to last 6 years. Average dropout rates for boys and girls approximate 21%.
Middle school taking place at colleges requires 3 years to complete. Less than 60% of pupils are either able to, or wish to finish this phase. In poorer rural areas their hands are needed elsewhere for work, to supplement the family income instead.
During their initial year at secondary school, students follow a core curriculum in either arts & science, mathematics or original education (the pre-French Koranic system). In the two succeeding years they apply their minds to one of agricultural science, earth & life sciences, mathematics, physics or technical studies.
Morocco has an ambitious plan in place to tackle unemployment through targeted vocational training. The program includes doubling institutional capacity, and partnerships with commerce too. Hopefully 750,000 newly trained employees will have reached a market hungry for their skills by 2013.
The are 14 universities in Morocco, of which the Mohammed V University in Rabat is regarded as the most prestigious, having faculties of law, liberal arts, medicine and sciences.
By far the oldest though is the venerable University of Al-Karaouine (or Al-Qarawiyyin), established in 1947 on the foundations of a Mosque School believed founded in 859. It remains one of the leading education and spiritual centers of the Muslim World.
