League of basic education and struggle against illiteracy holds 5th congress in Rabat
Morocco, Education, 3/13/2000

The Moroccan League of Basic Education and Struggle against Illiteracy held its fifth congress in Rabat Saturday under the topic "No development with illiteracy."

The congress, meant to give a new momentum to the struggle against illiteracy and foster the public awareness to the danger of the plague, heard a message by King Mohammed VI who expressed hope that the illiteracy rate in Morocco would be cut by 50% during the current decade.

In his message, the king spoke of the national charter on education and training --that is currently tabled before the Moroccan parliament-- saying the charter was drafted according to a new approach involving all partners, especially the civil society and discarding the former attitude which used to consider struggle against illiteracy as being an exclusive concern of the state.

The sovereign said the struggle against illiteracy should be part of a new social and economic development strategy, so as to include literacy programs recipients in production and prepare them to the society of information and competitiveness, the society of globalization. Struggle against illiteracy must contribute to struggle against poverty, and efforts must be geared towards the vulnerable layers of the society, mainly children below 15, rural women and workers, the royal message stated, calling for a genuine partnership between public institutions and the various components of the Moroccan society.

The king renewed resolve to grant utmost importance and special care to the social situation of citizens, being convinced that the citizen is the core of development, as it is its target, and that the policy of human rights consecration primarily concerns the citizen whose political, social and economic rights must be secured.

"We are determined to consecrate the Moroccan citizens' dignity and to enable them enjoy fully their legitimate rights, including the right to education," the king said.

The Moroccan League of Basic Education and Struggle Against Illiteracy was set up by the Istiqlal Party (nationalist) in 1956 and held its first congress in March 1957. It issued a newsletter, "Manar Al Maghrib," that was at the time the first of its kind in the Arab world that was devoted to adult literacy and struggle against illiteracy.

The Saturday congress was meant to review the league's statutes and regulations and to promote awareness among the living forces, associations, ngos and all components of the civil society to the need to join efforts to combat illiteracy.

According to the congress' organizers, the league is determined to resume its work on the field, to consolidate all its sections throughout the kingdom and to publicize the relationship between development and literacy. The league equally projects to resume publishing its newsletter, the organizers said.

According to official figures, illiteracy affects 54% of the Moroccan 28-million strong population. The rate reaches 75% in rural areas.

Illiteracy also affects some 35,000 children in the 8-16 age bracket who currently benefit from informal education services.

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