Morocco’s Education Minister Chakib Benmoussa met with the country’s leading teaching unions, on Friday in Rabat, for the sectoral social dialogue about the teaching sector.
Key attendees included Mohamed Khafifi, Deputy Secretary-General of the National Union of Education; Younes Firachine, Secretary-General of the National Syndicate of Education; Youssef Allakouch, Secretary-General of the Free Federation of Education; Abdellah Ghmimat, Secretary-General of the National Federation of Education; and Sadik Rghioui, Secretary-General of the National Syndicate of Education, the Ministry of National Education, Preschool, and Sports said in a press release.
The meeting reflects the ongoing joint efforts between the ministry and teaching sector unions to strengthen coordinated efforts for effectively implementing the new provisions. The gathering follows previous social dialogue stages, which resulted in the signing of significant agreements on December 10 and 26, 2023, and the publication of a new status for the ministry employees.
The parties discussed the organization of transfer movements and reviewed achievements and future work prospects, focusing on pedagogical reform.
Minister Benmoussa highlighted the “ministry’s commitment to public school reform through the 2022-2026 roadmap,” which aims to introduce pedagogical reforms in classrooms.
He also noted the strategic objectives of enhancing students’ mastery of basic learning, fostering openness and value absorption, and reducing school dropout rates.
Benmoussa also pointed out that 24 of the planned 43 regulatory texts have been approved, with four in the approval process and 15 in preparation. He noted significant progress in managing employees’ administrative situations, including integration, salary increases, promotions, allowance payments, status changes, tenure, and settlement of 2022 promotion allowances.
The participants also addressed the needs of teachers in remote areas as well as the organization of the National Teacher Forum in September to promote the profession and its attractiveness.
Union leaders applauded the swift implementation of measures and the application of the new status, stressing the importance of comprehensive education reforms and calling for accelerated execution of the new status’s organizational plan and improvements to the transfer movement system.
The Minister responded favorably to union requests to resolve the situation of suspended teachers swiftly.
The meeting reinforced a positive dialogue and set the stage for ongoing joint efforts between the ministry and teaching unions to advance pedagogical reforms and meet organizational priorities within specified timelines.