Head of Govt. Highlights before UNESCO Moroccan Approach To Shield Education System from Effects of Covid 19

22 October 2020 Printable Version

Paris - The Moroccan approach aimed at protecting the education system from the effects of Covid-19 and guaranteeing the continuity of learning was underscored on Thursday by head of government Saad Dine El Otmani, on the occasion of the World Summit on Education of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco).

"Thanks to the visionary and avant-garde guidelines of HM King Mohammed VI, Morocco has adopted a pioneering and innovative approach that has enabled it to quickly adapt to the context linked to the Covid-19 pandemic and to face an exceptional situation that all humanity is experiencing today," underlined El Otmani during this virtual summit intended to rethink education in the current world and in that of post-Covid-19.

Morocco has succeeded in adopting effective measures to protect the education system and guarantee the continuity of learning while also preserving the health and safety of teachers and learners, he said.

"Last year we succeeded in organizing the national baccalaureate exam and we also set up an action plan to organize the current school year 2020-2021. We have held the start of the school year on time and continuously without disruption and without interruption", said the head of government.

All this was possible thanks to the mobilization of the efforts of all staff, teachers, students and pupils, as well as families, said El Otmani.

In Morocco, "we consider that the pandemic, even if it is severe, also presents an opportunity that we should seize". This is how a framework law was adopted to ensure quality education for all, especially vulnerable categories and especially young girls in rural areas, he stressed.

In addition, Morocco is increasing the education budget on an annual basis by 8 pc, said El Otmani.

While appreciating the conclusions reached by the various Unesco working groups, the head of government underlined that the efficient achievement of the set objectives linked to these conclusions remains dependent on the coordination of efforts by the international community.

For an optimal achievement of the SDGs, in particular SDG4 (Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all), “we should adapt measures so that they are suited to the realities of each country," El Otmani insisted.

"We should also improve the mechanism of international cooperation and the quality of education to make it at the service of the most vulnerable, especially young girls in rural areas," he said.