Only 25 percent of Moroccan children can read after primary school, WB specialist

Senior education specialist for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region in the World Bank (WB), Michel Welmond, said the biggest challenges Morocco has to take up is the improvement of the quality of education, noting that a study has revealed that only 25 percent of Moroccan children who have been in primary schools can read, write and count, which is alarming.

The study, he said in a statement to MAP agency, revealed that out of 10 schooled children, 6 finish their primary school, 3 or 4 reach high schools, 2 reach the Baccalaureate level and only 1 gets enrolled in a university.

Welmond said an assessment test conducted on children from 38 developed and developing countries placed Morocco in the 37th rank, which clearly reflects the quality of the Moroccan educational system.

The education specialist said WB has approved a US$ 80 million loan to support a Basic Education Reform Support Program (PARSEM) in Morocco, destined to increase access to basic education, improve educational quality, encourage stakeholder participation, ensure financial sustainability, and promote accountability in sector management.

He added that the financial institution is satisfied by the "remarkable" progress achieved by Morocco during the latest years to spread education and increase schooling rate.

PARSEM addresses the challenges facing the Moroccan education system by supporting government efforts to boost the quality of basic education for all children aged 6-14 in a financially sustainable manner.