7200AA19APS00005 Addendum - Attachment A - Morocco.pdf

Higher Education Partnerships - Morocco

Attachment A

Investing in teacher preparation is one of the most important investments a country can make to improve results in the education sector. In the United States, research has shown positive correlations between the quality of teacher training and student outcomes. However, the benefits are not just measured in terms of student outcomes, as there is also a positive correlation between quality teacher training and teacher retention.

Other comparative studies in countries where international assessment results are among the highest confirm that these relationships are not unique to the United States.

Teacher Preparation for Basic Education

In Morocco, teacher training has undergone a number of important changes since gaining independence. Between 1956 and 1999, several distinct institutions were created to train professionals in education. After a period of primary and secondary school teacher preparation through two different mechanisms, in 2012, Morocco integrated primary and secondary teacher certification under Regional Centers of Education and Training (CRMEF - Centres régionaux des métiers de l'éducation et de la formation). This change was made by the Government of

Morocco (GOM) to create a higher-level professional certification for teaching and to ensure that each region would have one teacher training institution under a centrally managed teacher training system.

A 2014 analysis conducted by USAID/Morocco of the official pre-service teacher training system concluded that it was inadequate and recommended that pre-service training of primary school teachers should be redesigned to include a sufficient amount of time for theory, practice, and contemplation in order to make primary school teaching a desirable professional career. This analysis was used by the GOM in making key decisions about the reform of the pre-service teacher training system.

In October 2018, the GOM announced a new law for teacher training, which was ratified by the government board and will soon be approved by parliament. The new law stipulates that all primary school teachers will complete a three-year undergraduate degree in teaching (i.e., National Council for Accreditation of Teachers (2006). What makes a teacher effective? What research says about teacher preparation. Available at: https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED495408 Ibid

RTI (2014). Data for Education Programming in Asia and the Middle East (DEP/AME) Research on Reading in Morocco:

Analysis of Initial Teacher Training Final Report. Available at https://www.globalreadingnetwork.net/eddata/task-order-15-data-education-programming-asia-and-middle-east-depame-research-reading-morocco RTI (2014). Data for Education Programming in Asia and the Middle East (DEP/AME) Research on Reading in Morocco:

Analysis of Initial Teacher Training Final Report. Available at https://www.globalreadingnetwork.net/eddata/task-order-15-data-education-programming-asia-and-middle-east-depame-research-reading-morocco The text of the law is not yet ratified by the Moroccan Parliament. This is expected to happen in the coming months. This website, https://www.csefrs.ma/publications/loi-cadre-pour-la-reforme-du-systeme-deducation/?lang=fr, can be utilized as a resource regarding the law.

https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED495408 https://www.globalreadingnetwork.net/eddata/task-order-15-data-education-programming-asia-and-middle-east-depame-research-reading-morocco https://www.globalreadingnetwork.net/eddata/task-order-15-data-education-programming-asia-and-middle-east-depame-research-reading-morocco https://www.globalreadingnetwork.net/eddata/task-order-15-data-education-programming-asia-and-middle-east-depame-research-reading-morocco https://www.globalreadingnetwork.net/eddata/task-order-15-data-education-programming-asia-and-middle-east-depame-research-reading-morocco https://www.csefrs.ma/publications/loi-cadre-pour-la-reforme-du-systeme-deducation/?lang=fr

APS No. 7200AA18APS00003-STIP

Addendum No. 7200AA19APS00005 HEP-Morocco licence) from an accredited university, followed by one full school year of pedagogical training at a CRMEF, and finally one year of practical hands-on training in a model school, for a total of five years. This is a significant change from the current system which allows prospective teachers to have an undergraduate degree in any subject (i.e., not necessarily teaching) and complete a 5-6 month long pre-service training program at a CRMEF. Furthermore, Moroccan universities that do offer an undergraduate degree in education science do not focus on teaching or teacher preparation. With the release of the new law on pre-service teacher training, the

Ministry of National Education, Vocational Training, Higher Education and Scientific Research

(MOE) asked all interested universities to develop a teacher training program for the implementation of the new law. The universities were given three months to respond, from April to June 2018, which resulted in poorly designed programs that were not based on evidence or international best practices for effective teacher preparation. A recent interview with the

Secretary General of Higher Education revealed that the MOE is in urgent need of technical assistance and capacity building to develop the new five-year pre-service teacher training system for basic education.

Teacher Preparation for Inclusive Education

Morocco signed the United Nations Convention for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in

2006. However, the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) estimates that less than 12 percent of children with reported disabilities graduate from primary schools in Morocco.

The MOE developed the concept of “integrated classes” where children with mild to moderate disabilities are educated alongside their non-disabled peers with special education support. There are approximately 555 “integrated classes” within 383 schools across

Morocco, serving approximately 6,000 boys and over 2,000 girls with disabilities . Interviews conducted by RTI with multiple stakeholders indicate that teachers in these schools are not adequately trained in special needs education.

Furthermore, there are currently no certification programs offered in inclusive education or special education in Morocco. One could obtain a master’s degree in special education in the past. However, the degree was no longer offered in 2008 due to a lack of human resources (i.e., professors) to teach and manage this program. As an alternative, a module of approximately 30 hours on special education was created and is required to receive teacher certification. However, this module is outdated, does not address inclusive education practices, and does not prepare teachers to modify classroom instruction to include students with disabilities.

The aforementioned USAID/Morocco analysis also recommended that improved training should cover four professional domains, namely: professional, functional, relational, and disciplinary.

These elements, put into practice, characterize what is called the effective teacher.

UNICEF. (2014.). UNICEF annual report 2014: Morocco. Available at:

http://www.unicef.org/about/annualreport/files/Morocco_Annual_Report_2014.pdf RTI (2014). Data for Education Programming in Asia and the Middle East (DEP/AME) Research on Reading in Morocco:

Analysis of Initial Teacher Training Final Report. Available at https://www.globalreadingnetwork.net/eddata/task-order-15-data-education-programming-asia-and-middle-east-depame-research-reading-morocco Ibid

Ibid http://www.unicef.org/about/annualreport/files/Morocco_Annual_Report_2014.pdf https://www.globalreadingnetwork.net/eddata/task-order-15-data-education-programming-asia-and-middle-east-depame-research-reading-morocco https://www.globalreadingnetwork.net/eddata/task-order-15-data-education-programming-asia-and-middle-east-depame-research-reading-morocco

Teacher Supply

In addition to the poor quality of teacher preparation, Morocco also faces a serious shortage of teachers. Annually, approximately 13,000 teachers at all educational levels leave the system on early or regular retirement. In 2019-2020 this number is expected to be much higher, as teachers born in the 1960s (the baby boomer generation) reach retirement age. Unfortunately, the pace of recruitment for new qualified teachers is not matched by the rate at which teachers are retiring.

To face this problem, MOE recruited some 24,000 contractors to teach in primary schools in

2017 and 2018. However, these contractors did not receive adequate preparation to teach. By

2025, Morocco will need approximately 200,000 qualified primary and secondary school teachers in all subject areas. Prospective teachers will need to be adequately prepared to respond to the learning needs of 21st century Moroccan children.

Moroccan Higher Education Environment

Moroccan public universities are governed by the MOE. They are created and controlled by government central law, similarly to other public institutions in the country. Although the MOE oversees the carrying out of the official policy concerning higher education, universities sign and oversee all agreements between national and international universities.

There are 5 private universities and several non-university private higher education entities under the Public-Private Partnership in Morocco. The number of these universities is growing as interest in receiving tertiary education from high school graduates has increased. These private institutions and universities are managed by private autonomous entities, but are monitored by the government, to ensure adherence to the national Higher Education laws and guidelines. Each private entity has to be accredited by the state and has to apply for recognition of their certification or diploma by the central Ministry. Most of these higher education institutes and universities are for-profit entities and depend on tuition and private contributions for funding.

As a result, private universities seek to enter into partnerships with international universities and other research and academic entities. These partnerships are considered a selling feature that make private universities more attractive to prospective students.

Each public university is presided by a president who, like faculty deans, is appointed by royal decree after a proposal is received by the Minister of Education. The president, supported by a university council, ensures that government decisions concerning higher education are carried out.

Public university financing is provided by the state, which controls expenditures, but with autonomy to the university under Law 00-01. While a large portion of the MOE budget supports the salaries of professors, the Ministry also provides support to students in the form of scholarships and highly subsidized accommodations and meals.

Morocco's higher education system has undergone unprecedented development during the past

20 years. Today, there are 1 million students studying at 12 universities and more than 160 higher education institutions in various disciplines, such as science, technology, medicine, pharmacy, humanities and social sciences. However, the higher education system in Morocco faces several challenges throughout all phases of sector reform.

Only 10% of students who study science complete their degrees on time; 17% and 21% of students who study economics and law, and humanities and social sciences respectively, complete their degrees on time. There is also a significant disconnect between the needs in the job market and the skills/qualifications of graduates, resulting in a high rate of unemployment amongst university graduates.

The higher education system also faces challenges in the areas of instruction and research. While the primary language of instruction in primary and secondary education for scientific disciplines is Arabic, French is used as the primary language of instruction at the university level. With

English serving as the primary language in scientific publications, this has impacted student learning outcomes, particularly at the university level.

Although the Ministry has launched a two-year program of intensified meetings and workshops to move from the European Higher Education/Bologna system to re-adopting the Bachelor/Four-year degree system in order to enhance student performance, the demand for integrated reform of all system issues is essential. In this case, the U.S. higher education system will be an inspiring model for Ministry decision-makers.

The challenge, as King Mohammed VI pointed out in his 2010 state of the nation speech, is "to align science, vocational and technical departments in a way to respond to the needs of the modern economy, to promote scientific research and innovation and to create a culture of a knowledge economy and communication."

Education in Morocco can be a real driver of development and contribute to making Morocco a developed country that guarantees its citizens dignity and social justice.

USAID’s Response

Over the past five years, USAID/Morocco has assisted the Ministry of Education in building sufficient evidence to inform reform of the country’s teacher preparation policy. This addendum seeks concept notes for a partnership which will support the creation of a new and comprehensive undergraduate degree in teaching (Licence en science de l’enseignement) within

Moroccan universities. The program should be focused on preparing prospective teachers to teach at primary school levels.

The partnership should ensure that there is:

● Territorial coverage of Moroccan universities in the capital and Northern, Southern, and

Central regions.

● Willingness of host-country HEIs to invest time, human resources, and logistical means to design, implement, manage, and evaluate the new program.

● Presence of required human resources, primarily professors, who are committed and willing to be trained to actively participate in this activity from inception to evaluation.

● Academic excellence and experience in international academic collaboration, in alignment with an approach that promotes self-reliance through building strong and sustainable partnerships.

● Integration of knowledge from international best practices on teacher training, including

U.S. higher education culture and values of academic freedom. The new program should be built on a system that strengthens higher education results through long-term relationships between both institutions and individuals, resulting in research collaborations and student experiences that exist long past the initial assistance period.

● Ability on the part of the host-country HEIs to continue offering the new undergraduate degree to aspiring teachers after the USAID funding period expires. USAID recognizes the importance of working with partner countries to strengthen the capacity of local higher education institutions to generate knowledge and develop the workforce readiness skills that meet local, regional, and global needs.

The undergraduate degree in teaching must be evidence-based, aligned with international norms for teacher preparation quality, stressing the principles of universal design for learning and student centered instructional methodologies. The program core courses will be taught in

Standard Classical Arabic and Moroccan Sign Language, with the exception of subject areas that are foreign language focused, unless otherwise indicated by the MOE decision makers.

Concept Notes should demonstrate:

● Effective planning for a situation analysis of the existing teacher preparation course work content, materials and profile of the professors delivering it (at the University, CRMEF and the National Schools for Higher Education (ENS)).

● Ability to provide a gender-balanced profile of professors/faculty needed to teach the content of this new undergraduate degree.

● Collaboration with the MOE in the development of a comprehensive, evidence-based curriculum for an undergraduate degree in teaching, including a special module (or minor) on inclusive education.

● Partnerships with at least four accredited Moroccan universities (specifically one each in the Capital Rabat, the North, Center, and the South of Morocco) that will initially host the new degree program before it is rolled out to additional universities.

● Considerations to utilize technology to create a blended learning environment, as feasible.

● Ability to assist the MOE in the development of innovative content for teacher preparation that balances theory and practice.

● Ability to develop and test an approach for faculty development that will ensure the largest number of trained faculty by the end of the performance period.

● Ability to assist MOE in the development of mechanisms of quality assurance throughout the program.

● Ability to support the Ministry to develop a mechanism for ensuring certification and national recognition.

Concept notes should consider how an activity would support USAID/Morocco Reading for

Success project sustainability, which heavily depends on an efficient pre-service preparation program. Concept notes should also align with the Mission’s CDCS goal to “Advance

Moroccan Initiatives for Peaceful Reform”, by putting the country in general, and the Ministry of

Learn more about Reading for Success at https://www.usaid.gov/morocco/fact-sheets/reading-success-national-program-reading.

USAID/Morocco, (2013). The USAID Country Development Cooperation Strategy 2013-2017. Available at https://www.usaid.gov/morocco/cdcs https://www.usaid.gov/morocco/fact-sheets/reading-success-national-program-reading https://www.usaid.gov/morocco/fact-sheets/reading-success-national-program-reading https://www.usaid.gov/morocco/cdcs

Education in particular, on a path for self reliance, with a comprehensive professional development system for its teachers, who can in turn offer the best teaching services to the new generation of children and youth, and prepare them to be tomorrow’s leaders.

Additional Resources

Cross, J. (2017). Morocco Teachers: SABER Country Report 2016. World Bank, Washington, DC. © World Bank. Available at:

https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/handle/10986/28256 License: CC BY 3.0 IGO.

Hayes A., Dick A., & Bulat J. (2016). Morocco Disability Analysis Presentation – Report

Summary, Findings and Recommendations. RTI International. Available at:

https://www.globalreadingnetwork.net/eddata/morocco-disability-analysis-presentation-

%E2%80%93-report-summary-findings-and-recommendations

Josa, J., & Chassy, C. (2018). How-To Note -- Disability Inclusive Education. Available at:

https://www.edu-links.org/resources/how-note-disability-inclusive-education

RTI. (2014). Situation and Needs Assessment for Students Who Are Blind/Low Vision or

Deaf/Hard of Hearing in Morocco. EdData II Technical and Managerial Assistance.

Available at: https://www.globalreadingnetwork.net/eddata/task-order-15-data-education-programming-asia-and-middle-east-depame-situation-and-needs

RTI. (2014). Data for Education Programming in Asia and the Middle East (DEP/AME)

Research on Reading in Morocco: Analysis of Teachers’ Perceptions and Practices.

Final Report. Available at: https://www.globalreadingnetwork.net/eddata/task-order-15-data-education-programming-asia-and-middle-east-depame-research-reading-0

The World Bank Group. (2016). The Systems Approach for Better Education Results

(SABER). Available at: http://saber.worldbank.org/index.cfm?indx=2&ctrn=MA https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/handle/10986/28256 https://www.globalreadingnetwork.net/eddata/morocco-disability-analysis-presentation-%E2%80%93-report-summary-findings-and-recommendations https://www.globalreadingnetwork.net/eddata/morocco-disability-analysis-presentation-%E2%80%93-report-summary-findings-and-recommendations https://www.edu-links.org/resources/how-note-disability-inclusive-education https://www.globalreadingnetwork.net/eddata/task-order-15-data-education-programming-asia-and-middle-east-depame-situation-and-needs https://www.globalreadingnetwork.net/eddata/task-order-15-data-education-programming-asia-and-middle-east-depame-situation-and-needs https://www.globalreadingnetwork.net/eddata/task-order-15-data-education-programming-asia-and-middle-east-depame-research-reading-0 https://www.globalreadingnetwork.net/eddata/task-order-15-data-education-programming-asia-and-middle-east-depame-research-reading-0 http://saber.worldbank.org/index.cfm?indx=2&ctrn=MA