Morocco ranks 71 in mathematical literacy, 79 in reading comprehension, and 76 in scientific literacy out of 81 countries, according to the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA), an international assessment program of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) that measures 15-year-old students’ reading, mathematics, and science literacy every 3 years.
6,867 Moroccan public school students aged 15 took part in the study, the results of which show that Moroccan students in public schools are significantly below the OECD average, marking a clear decline since the last study conducted in 2018.
Morocco scored 365 points in mathematics (compared to 368 points in 2018), 339 points in reading (compared to 359 points recorded in 2018, and 365 points in science (compared to 377 points in 2018). The survey also indicates that 68.5% of participating Moroccan students underperformed in all three test areas.
The Pisa ranking also reviewed the conditions under which the students studied, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic period. 53.7% of Moroccan students indicated that their school had closed for less than 3 months due to the pandemic, 57% said that they are capable or very capable of motivating themselves to do their schoolwork, 48.1% agreed with the responsiveness of their teachers to help them when needed, and 61.2% indicated that they have rarely or never had difficulty finding someone to help them with their schoolwork.
The OECD survey also looked at the schools attended by Moroccan students and the perception of school principals regarding the existence of obstacles to teaching capacity. More than half (56%) of those principals surveyed indicated that schools lack teachers, 44.3% of them stated teachers are seen as inadequate or unqualified in the schools they attend, 77.6% said that schools lack digital resources, and 74.7% said their schools are equipped only with inadequate or poor-quality digital resources.
80.7% of the Moroccan students surveyed said that some schools prohibit the use of mobile phones during school hours. 48.1% of them reported that peer tutoring is available at their schools.
Since September 2023, Morocco has implemented reforms in educational institutions serving 320,000 students, according to a statement by the Ministry of National Education, Primary Education, and Sports. This has included a comprehensive review of teaching methods and means of addressing learning difficulties, along with individual assessment and monitoring by external partners.
Thanks to the commitment and involvement of teachers and educational teams in these institutions, the Ministry asserted, the initial assessment of students’ performance revealed a significant improvement in their mastery of assessed proficiencies and abilities, particularly for those studying at the second- to sixth-grade levels.
The impact assessment also indicated potential for significant and rapid improvement in student performance, attributable to the collaborative efforts of educational teams, including teachers, school directors, educational inspectors, regional directorates, and regional academies.
The Ministry noted that another 2,000 primary schools will be added to the program annually, with all primary education institutions to be included by 2026. With respect to secondary schools, the initiative will be launched in several preparatory schools starting in the upcoming academic year 2024-2025.