Morocco education minister reports 12% drop in school dropout rates

Around 50,000 students who had dropped out of school were able to return to classes, Minister of National Education, Preschool, and Sports Chakib Benmoussa said on Monday.

Responding to a question at the House of Representatives on «the fight against school dropouts», Benmoussa stated that the number of students dropping out of school had fallen by 12%, from 334,000 during the 2021-2022 season to 294,000 for the 2022-2023 school year, although this figure remains «high».

He explained that the Ministry had implemented several measures to combat school dropouts, including revising the legal framework to establish a unified identification number for tracking individual students and extending access to preschool education as a key factor in reducing the number of dropouts.

Additionally, the Ministry is providing individual support for students, bridging gaps, and improving tutoring for students with learning difficulties, as seen in pioneering schools.

According to the Minister, it is also important to improve the attractiveness of schools through co-curricular activities, promote educational and vocational guidance, offer remedial education via second-chance schools, and strengthen social support services (conditional family allowances, school transport, and boarding schools).

School dropouts are a complex phenomenon caused by several factors, says the Minister, calling for «all stakeholders to come together to combat this issue».