The Ministry of National Education is maintaining the current 30-hour-a-week teaching load for Amazigh language instructors in public schools, despite strong opposition from educators.
In an official letter, the ministry confirmed that the number of teaching hours for the Amazigh language would not be adjusted. The ministry stated that Amazigh language teachers are part of the primary education teaching staff, as outlined in Article 10 of the special status governing the ministry’s employees.
Accordingly, it wrote, “until the government authority responsible for education revises the teaching load in consultation with the Permanent Commission for Program Review and Adaptation, the weekly teaching load for Amazigh language teachers will remain at 30 hours.”
The ministry also referred to several official documents, including the primary education curriculum established in July 2021, and ministerial decrees No. 21-100 and No. 23-028 concerning the gradual introduction of the Amazigh language into primary education. It also cited Circular No. 24-152, which provides guidance for the progressive implementation of this plan for the academic years 2024/2025 and 2025/2026.
The ministry focused on the importance of equitable class distribution for specialized Amazigh language teachers. It called for ensuring that at least one Amazigh language teacher is assigned to every primary school with over 300 students, as mandated by ministerial circular No. 2024/152.
Additionally, the letter noted that each school must allocate at least eight classes for teaching Amazigh, based on the institution’s structure.
Regarding the teaching methodology, the ministry stated that each class would receive three hours of Amazigh instruction per week, in accordance with the 2021 primary school curriculum.
Given the shortage of qualified teachers, a single teacher may have to cover multiple schools to meet the required teaching hours.
The decision has sparked significant debate among educators, many of whom argue that the current workload is excessive and unsustainable, especially given the limited resources and manpower available for teaching the Amazigh language.