Morocco ranks 56th out of 57 countries surveyed in the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) 2021, published by the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA). Its students’ average score is 128 points below the international average, which was set at a baseline of 500 points. Shockingly, 59% of Moroccan students fall below the minimum reading proficiency level.
According to a press release by the Ministry of Education, Morocco participated in this analysis with representative samples from all regions of the Kingdom, including a total of 7,017 fourth grade students, 7,017 parents and guardians, and 266 Arabic teachers representing 266 primary schools.
The study aims to evaluate the international performance of educational systems in the mastery of reading skills in the native language taught at the primary level, which–in the case of Moroccan students–is Arabic, noted the ministry.
The results of PIRLS 2021 highlight the various national and international diagnoses that have revealed the learning crisis facing the Moroccan educational system, as emphasized in the statement. They also support the need for transparency and accountability measures adopted by the Ministry of National Education within the framework of the 2022-2026 roadmap.
The Ministry’s policy aims for significant improvement in advance of the PIRLS 2026 survey. Initiatives include providing high-quality classroom libraries to all primary schools, and implementing effective teaching methods such as explicit instruction.