The enrollment rate of children aged 4-5 in Moroccan schools reached 78.7% for the academic year 2023-2024, with 951,596 preschool students (+2.2%), according to the Ministry of National Education, Preschool and Sports’ latest report on education.
The expansion of educational opportunities, particularly in rural regions supported by the large-scale National Initiative for Human Development (INDH) and the implementation of delegated management, have facilitated the broader delivery of high-quality preschool education.
The number of students in public education across the three cycles, including preschool, stands at 7,392,050 students, marking a 1.1% increase compared to the previous year.
Girls constitute 48.9% of the student population, while secondary school enrollment reached 1,918,691 students, reflecting a 4.25% surge.
The Education Ministry noted that 4,459,478 students benefited from the royal initiative “One Million Schoolbags,” 1,040,615 from school meals, and 580,266 from school transportation (83.3% in rural areas).
School dropouts decreased by 12%, with the number reducing from 334,664 in 2021-2022 to 294,458 in 2022-2023. Among the dropouts, 45.5% are in rural areas, 38.64% are girls, and 62% are above 16 years old.
All components of the educational system have witnessed significant progress during the 2023-2024 school year, with an increase in the number of students, the expansion of educational opportunities, especially in rural areas, and the continued promotion of quality preschool education, in addition to the strengthening of social support programs and efforts to combat school dropout rates.