THE KINGDOM OF

Mohammed Sassi Ahmed Chaibi The National Center for Assessment, Examinations, and Guidance

Language and According to the 2011 Constitution, and Amazigh are the two official languages of the Kingdom of Morocco.1 The 1999 Charter for and Training stipulated that an open approach toward the Amazigh language would be endorsed. To this end, the Royal Institute for the Amazigh Culture, which was created in 2001 under provisions of the Royal Dahir, has been designing teaching materials and teacher training programs in Amazigh jointly with the Ministry of Education. The inclusion of Amazigh in the school curriculum was a remarkable event within Morocco’s educational spheres. Still, huge efforts need to be invested to generalize its teaching throughout compulsory education. The language curriculum generally aims to equip the learner with abilities, skills, knowledge, values, and attitudes that allow him or her to use verbal as well as nonverbal language through the mastery of the basic communication skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Within the Moroccan educational context, reading literacy is viewed as an asset that allows students to further their knowledge, nurture their potential, and fully participate in society. Reading classes focus on the acquisition of literacy skills and subskills and their uses in a broad sense. Educationalists are keenly aware that reading is an essential instrument for the teaching and learning of other components of language, as well as a prerequisite for developing student readiness to cope with knowledge and culture. More importantly, early reading literacy helps students become aware of values inherent in other content areas and contributes to autonomous learning. This integrated and unified concept of language teaching and learning takes into consideration the linguistic specificities related to lexis, phonology, calligraphy, semantics, culture, history, and teaching approaches and aids that are dependent on the status and roles of each language. A revised curriculum of is under experimentation in a limited number of regions and schools. This curriculum views languages as complementary to and inherently integrated within a unified, harmonious, and communicative language framework.2

Overview of the Education System Morocco’s 2011 constitution specifies that the state, public institutions, local authorities, and families should work toward facilitating citizens’ and, in particular, children’s equal access to education, vocational training, , and art.3

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The Ministry of National Education and Vocational Training oversees all areas related to the provision of public and private education. Following what the National Charter for Education and Training has recommended, education delivery is decentralized and there is increased responsiveness to local needs and realities.4 Accordingly, Academies for Education and Training in each of the 12 newly established administrative have been charged with implementing the educational policy adopted nationally and the 2015–2030 strategic vision for education set by the Higher Council of Education, Training, and Scientific Research.5 In addition, regional directorates are charged with providing services for education in their respective territories and implementing directives set nationally or by the regional academies.a Since Morocco’s independence in 1956, the education system has been subject to consecutive comprehensive reforms. In 1999, the latest reform was enacted and gained national consensus. The reform stipulates that education and training be a national priority, second only to territorial integrity. Significant progress toward reforming education and training had been made, despite challenges and delays encountered during the first 10 years of implementation. In 2009, the government embarked upon the huge, highly financed National Education Emergency Support Program 2009–2012 to give fresh impetus to this reform. One of the distinguishing features of the program was that it used a holistic approach to address the challenges Morocco faced in education such as performance, efficiency, and quality enhancement. The implicit aim of this program was to help Morocco make significant strides toward meeting some of its United Nations Millennium Development Goals by 2015. The program was designed and implemented by the Moroccan government with the support of various development partners, then was assessed.6 In 2015, the Higher Council of Education, Training, and Scientific Research initiated, on the basis of such assessment, a nationwide collaboration involving several educational institutions and representatives of the economic sector and civil society to evaluate the outcomes of the Moroccan educational system and develop measures to address the problems and deficiencies identified. Among the measures receiving highest priority were those that emphasize the promotion of literacy and numeracy in the four early primary education grades. The 2015–2030 national strategic vision was the beginning of the Ministryʼs “priority measures,” which were the foundation of the so-called integrated projects now being implemented.7 The most short term important projects aim for at least the following: • Improving the teaching of languages and reading, especially at the first four grades • Improving access to schooling in rural and underprivileged areas • Catering to students with disabilities • Supporting learners with learning difficulties • Improving the quality of learning by renewing standards for teacher training

a Regional academies and provincial directorates oversee both public and private schools.

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• Encouraging school life activities and school improvement plans

• Improving the national system of assessment and examinations for more equity and equal opportunities • Renewing the studentsʼ orientation and information system (i.e., for different options by the end of lower secondary and upper ) • Establishing good governance and mobilization around schools • Capacity building of teachers, staff, and school leadership nationwide Morocco’s education system is divided into preprimary, primary, secondary, and . The National Charter of Education and Training (1999) mandates that preprimary education be available to all children ages 4 to 6. The same objective is reiterated in the 2015–2030 national strategic vision, which looks forward to “generalizing, in the medium term, the access of all Moroccan children (girls and boys) to education and training, especially at the level of compulsory education” for ages ranging from 6 to 15.8 There is a project under development to integrate children age 4 into primary school. Preprimary education in Morocco is provided through two types of schools: and Quranic. , which generally are privately owned, provide education primarily in cities and towns. Quranic schools prepare children for primary education by focusing on basic literacy and numeracy skills and have always been at the forefront in the battle against illiteracy, particularly in remote areas of the country.9 Preprimary teachers develop their own curriculum according to a set of principles established by the Ministry of Education that take into account students’ physical and cognitive development, needs, interests, and abilities.10 Stipulated by the 2015–2030 national strategic vision, attempts have been made in the integrated projects to enable primary schools to host two year preprimary classes (students ages 4 to 6) with the intent of possibly expanding this model. Children generally attend primary school from ages 6 to 12. Over the last 10 years or so, Morocco’s gross enrollment rates within primary education have consistently risen, and dropout rates have fallen. According to the National Education Emergency Support Program 2009–2012, many school age children in impoverished families stay out of school due to the high cost of schooling (e.g., expenses related to textbooks, school materials), and therefore are bound to work to supplement the family income.11 To combat educational exclusion, Morocco’s government launched Tayssir, a conditional cash transfer program, the aim of which is to encourage higher enrollment in primary school. Tayssir grants a stipend to impoverished families who enroll and keep their children in school. At the end of primary school, students must fulfill the requirements of the school leaving qualification, Certificat d’Etudes Primaires, to be eligible for admission to lower secondary schools. Lower secondary school in Morocco also is compulsory; this stage lasts three years (Grades 7 to 9) and is attended by children ages 13 to 15.12 Upper secondary school also lasts three years. During the first year, all students follow a common core curriculum in the arts, , technology, or vocational training. After the first year, students are streamed into one of three tracks: general and technical, leading to a Moroccan baccalaureate;

PIRLS 2016 ENCYCLOPEDIA THE KINGDOM OF MOROCCO 3 technology, leading to general qualifications in technology; or one of the newly implemented options leading to a vocational Moroccan baccalaureate. Within the general and technical and the new vocational baccalaureate tracks, first year students study the arts, science, technology, , or Islamic disciplines. Second year students study Earth and life , physics, agricultural science, technical studies, or one of two mathematics tracks (Track A corresponds with Earth and life sciences, and Track B with engineering sciences).b The number of students in vocational Moroccan baccalaureate options has reached 13,078 this year and is expected to reach 150,000 in 2030, as is stipulated by the 2015–2030 national strategic vision. The Moroccan baccalaureateʼs French and English options are growing significantly, especially in private schools (34,674 students in the 2015–2016 school year). in Morocco is offered at 18 , colleges and institutes, or engineering preparatory schools (grandes écoles), such as Hassan II Institute of Agronomy and Veterinary Sciences. Admission generally is open to students who have attained the upper secondary school baccalaureate. Many higher education institutions also require that students have minimum grades in their proposed majors and pass an entrance examination. Between 1999 and 2002, in addition to overseeing the formal education system, the Ministry of Education conducted a nonformal education program specifically designed for unenrolled and out of school children. This program had three aims: contribute to the implementation of the Education for All plan (EFA), with a view to eradicating illiteracy; integrate participants into formal primary education and and, ultimately, the world of work; and encourage program participation among nongovernmental organizations within the field of education. Since January 2002, the Ministry of Education also has been overseeing a nonformal education program that aims to integrate students with special needs into mainstream schools (after these students pass tests specifically designed for them). However, much effort remains to respond to the ever growing needs of these students. To meet the requirements of the 2015–2030 strategic vision, two important projects are envisaged within the framework of the newly engineered integrated projects, to establish bridges between nonformal education and schooling and vocational training.13

Language/Reading Curriculum in the Fourth Grade Reading Policy The current competency-based curriculum for primary schools draws upon the principles articulated in the 1999 National Charter for Education and Training. The curriculum focuses on helping children develop the competencies required to read different types of texts fluently and confidently, such as informational and expository texts. Ministerial circulars, textbooks, and guidelines outline the skills that students must be able to demonstrate by the end of fourth grade, with the aim of helping them acquire those necessary for independent language learning. These include the ability to do the following:14 b The Moroccan baccalaureate curriculum may be translated into foreign languages of instruction (e.g., French, English, or, in the near future, Spanish), in which case it is referred to as the international Moroccan baccalaureate.

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• Recognize and understand rhyme and rhythm, letters, words, sentences, and punctuation marks

• Read written texts aloud and silently at a reasonable speed • Recognize and understand the main and supporting ideas in texts • Infer word meanings using contextual clues, word analysis, multiple meaning words, and word analogies • Recognize fiction and nonfiction text structure • Differentiate between fact and opinion • Look up the spelling and definition of words in the dictionary A pilot study is being implemented to upgrade the teaching, learning, and assessment of reading.15 There is a general conviction that the ability to read is key to learners’ overall development inside and outside school.

Summary of National Curriculum The national curriculum renewal and piloting process is underway and will continue through 2017– 2018.16 The reading curriculum that had been applied was designed in 2002 and is oriented toward developing student reading skills through the use of real life situations, where students activate and integrate linguistic knowledge, strategies, and prior knowledge to solve real life problems. The teaching and assessment of oral communication, also termed oral competency, are to be prioritized through this , reflecting the general tendency to integrate reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills to increase student language competence.17 The aims of the currently used reading curriculum can be summarized as follows: • Nurture interest in words and their meanings • Provide a wide range of opportunities for reading and emphasize the value of reading in everyday life situations and circumstances • Help students become independent readers through appropriate focus on word, sentence, and text level knowledge • Develop confidence in reading through a range of independent strategies for self-monitoring and correction • Develop the skills to evaluate and justify individual preferences • Develop imagination, inventiveness, and associative thinking • Make students aware that we learn to read by reading If the piloting of the revised curriculum yields fruitful results, it will be generalized nationwide with much effort to be invested in teacher training and textbook and materials publication, which will be overseen by the Permanent Curricula Committee to be appointed by the Higher Council for Education, Training, and Scientific Research shortly.

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Teachers, , and Professional Development Developing the performance of the educational system and achieving the intended results of its reform depend on the quality of teacher training and its compatibility with the developments in school curricula and the innovations triggered by results of . In fact, school innovation and achievement depend largely on the quality of educatorsʼ and other stakeholdersʼ involvement. Their full engagement in improving teaching, their motivation, and their inquisitiveness as to how educational systems in other spheres perform better is key to progress. In other words, education requires high quality and effective preservice training, including self-development and institutionally triggered in-service training for all educational actors, including leadership.

Teacher Education Specific to Reading The Regional Centers for Education and Training Professions (Centres régionaux des métiers de l’éducation et de la formation) provide full time courses and a practicum leading to a professional graduate certificate in education. To be admitted to these teacher training centers, applicants hold a bachelor’s degree or equivalent. Further, they need to pass a written entrance examination and participate in a background interview. The entrance examination assesses candidates’ general knowledge of culture with a particular focus on reading and writing. The background interview looks at candidatesʼ motivation for the job, communication skills, human rapport, and other personal qualities that will help them cope with students in different education levels and situations. Education for primary school, lower secondary school, and upper secondary school teachers consists of a one year practice-based course for teacher trainees, which includes a practicum and supervised class observations intended to provide hands-on experience in teaching. Courses also use a modular approach. Modules specific to teaching approaches for reading and reading theories are becoming more focused and converge with the newly revised language curriculum. Teacher education generally is divided into two major areas: • Foundational knowledge of specific issues related to the , education psychology, and the • Methodologies for teaching different content areas Upon completion of the training course, teacher trainees are appointed to primary, lower secondary, or upper secondary schools.

Requirements for Ongoing Professional Development in Reading for Teachers The National Charter for Education and Training prioritizes professional development for teachers and school administrators.18 Pedagogical inspectors play an important role in the education system in Morocco. Among other endeavors, they design teacher professional development programs, colloquia, and seminars, and they supervise teachers to further improve teaching and learning within the 12 regional Academies for Education and Training across the country. These practices are conceived of as a means to ensure professional competenciesʼ suitability and sustainability. Therefore, continual

PIRLS 2016 ENCYCLOPEDIA THE KINGDOM OF MOROCCO 6 development training sessions are organized to respond to the needs of target groups and of the whole educational system by other educational stakeholders. International agencies like United States Agency for International Development (USAID), UNICEF, and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) work with the Ministry of National Education and Vocational Training to help teachers and school staff benefit from regular courses to enable them to cope with the requirements of new curricula and intervention plans. For instance, because of the priority now allotted to the first four years of primary education, a series of in-service training sessions has been offered to primary education teachers that assists them with implementing aspects of the newly revised curricula (e.g., languages, mathematics, science).19 Finally, it is worth mentioning that professional development plays a vital role for teachers in promoting their professional competencies, especially when they are opened up to diverse educational advances and best experiences and practices. Teacher development also helps teachers surpass the boundaries of the classroom to become researchers, innovators, and leaders.

Reading Instruction in the Primary Grades At the fourth grade, more instructional time per week is allocated to reading than any other component in Arabic and courses.20 Fourth grade students receive 10 instructional sessions per week that total 6.5 hours. The allocation of time for language components is shown in Exhibit 1:21

Exhibit 1: Language Component Instructional Time

Components Number of Sessions Time Per Session Time Per Week Reading 4 30 minutes 2 hours

Grammatical structure 1 45 minutes 45 minutes

Text transformation 1 45 minutes 45 minutes

Dictation 1 45 minutes 45 minutes

Vocalization 1 45 minutes 45 minutes

Essay writing 1 45 minutes 45 minutes

Writing reinforcement 1 45 minutes 45 minutes

Total 10 5 hours 6.5 hours

On the basis of Morocco’s student achievement in national and international assessments, especially the National Program for the Evaluation of Acquired Learning Outcomes (Programme National d’Evaluation des Acquis, or PNEA) and PIRLS, and drawing on the 2015–2030 national strategic vision, policymakers and educationalists revised the curriculum now under experimentation that will focus on literacy (i.e., reading and writing).22 The time allotted to reading and writing will undergo some changes on the basis of the results of the field pilot study. The number of study hours

PIRLS 2016 ENCYCLOPEDIA THE KINGDOM OF MOROCCO 7 per week also will be minimized to allow students to get involved in extracurricular activities in clubs for reading, culture, civic education, sports, etc.

Instructional Materials Prior to 1999, textbooks had been designed by committees within the Ministry of National Education and Vocational Training. Following the 1999 National Charter for Education and Training, textbook writers have submitted manuscripts through private publishers for review and approval by a jury panel appointed by the Ministry, whose members review them using detailed book specifications. Since 2002, for example, three textbooks for teaching Arabic have been specifically designed for fourth grade students. A revised curriculum being piloted will allow for the design of new textbooks on the basis of evidence. The Permanent Curricula Committee that will be appointed will oversee the design and validation of the textbooks that respond to the requirements of new curricula. It is worth noting here that language instruction, like any other subject, entails the use of different educational approaches and a variety of teaching aids that enable teachers to achieve their work in the best conditions, and accordingly make easier the achievement of educational objectives set forth in the syllabus. In other words, quality education relies on the use of quality methods, teaching styles, and materials. Too much reliance on the textbook and the teacher’s guide does not guarantee teachers’ managerial skills and motivation, or allow teachers to be creative, take initiative, and be able to adapt to different teaching and learning situations. Teachers in Morocco are advised to make use of teaching aids such as photos, drawings, cards, clips, audiovisual aids, digital resources, dictionaries, stories, and magazines to improve the quality of teaching. All these should, of course, comply with the principles and directives of the national official curriculum and the stated objectives and competencies.

Use of Technology Since 1999, the Ministry of Education has been implementing a policy promoting Information and Communications Technology (ICT) in education, in accordance with Article 10 of the Charter of Education and Training.23 In March 2005, the Ministry launched the Generalization of Information Technologies and Communication in Education (GENIE) initiative to improve the quality of teaching and learning through the use of ICT in all public schools.24 Through GENIE, all Moroccan schools have been equipped with computer laboratories supported by ADSL Internet access and have provided training for teachers, headmasters, advisors, and inspectors. Furthermore, following the 2015–2030 national strategic vision, a new project is underway to improve the use of information technology in the classroom and remedial work.25

Role of Reading Specialists Reading specialists act as a resource for teachers and students and help address reading difficulties. Although a number of Moroccan educational professionals, teachers, and supervisors have gained expertise in teaching reading in primary schools, many cannot be considered reading specialists. However, many reading teacher trainers, researchers, and linguists have been involved lately in the

PIRLS 2016 ENCYCLOPEDIA THE KINGDOM OF MOROCCO 8 process of designing the aforementioned revised curriculum. They also have been defenders of change of paradigm as far as the teaching of reading is concerned. Further, there is general consensus among educators that specific master’s degree courses for reading specialists should be integrated into Morocco’s teacher training colleges.

Second Language Instruction The 2011 Constitution supports learning foreign languages and stipulates that the most widely used foreign languages shall be taught as means of communication, integration, and interaction with other societies in the spirit of openness to other cultures and civilizations.26 French, which is taught in kindergartens and the first and second grades of public primary schools, often is used as the language of government, diplomacy, technology, and economics in Morocco. English also is gaining ground as the most popular foreign language and is used as the medium of instruction in a small number of higher education institutes and engineering schools. The Ministry envisages the extension of the teaching of English in lower as a short term goal and aims to introduce it later as a second foreign language in the fourth grade of primary education as a midterm goal.27 Spanish, Italian, and German, on the other hand, also are taught as foreign languages from Grade 9. To boost the status of French in the Moroccan education system and prepare students for higher education where subjects are taught in French, as well as for employability, new Moroccan baccalaureate French options named “international” were created in upper secondary schools starting from Grade 10.28 Likewise, in order to implement the directives of the 2015–2030 national strategic vision, the Ministry of National Education and Vocational Training has introduced the English Moroccan baccalaureate option.

Students with Reading Difficulties Diagnostic Testing Diagnostic reading tests are administered on a regular basis as part of evaluating what students have learned after each three week unit. This ongoing assessment is intended to determine how much remedial work is needed and how to help underachievers catch up with high achievers. In June 1994, the Ministry of Education endorsed a national approach toward school integration that reflects the Salamanca Statement adopted at the UNESCO World Conference on .29 Children with special needs attend regular classes and receive assistance from teachers trained in special needs based on children’s diagnosed abilities, including reading abilities and their pace of learning how to read.

Instruction for Children with Reading Difficulties There is awareness of children with disabilities, including students with reading difficulties and children with special education needs in Morocco. The education of children with disabilities is a right guaranteed by the Moroccan Constitution and supporting legislation, and an observable fact in society and schools. All members of Moroccan society must comply with this policy, particularly in schools.30

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The Ministry’s concern for educating children with disabilities has pushed many schools across the

Kingdom of Morocco to introduce integrated classes. As recently as 10 years ago, there were no more than 30 schools in which students were taught in integrated classes. According to 2016 statistics, there are more than 690 integrated classes in 441 primary schools across Morocco. In addition, there are thousands of students with special needs who are taught in mainstream classrooms alongside their peers in regular public schools. Morocco has enacted and implemented international legislative and regulatory texts and contracted agreements on the integration of students with disabilities. Accordingly, the Ministry has adopted a national approach for inclusive education aiming to allow students with disabilities to attend school in mainstream classes or in integrated classes with other students with disabilities.31 The aim of integrated classes is to prepare students with disabilities for full integration into mainstream classes by integrating them first with other students with disabilities. This approach to progressive integration helps facilitate the development of content, methods, and teaching techniques for students with disabilities. Schools with integrated classes serve children ages 6 to 15 with auditory or mild intellectual disabilities. The Ministry, nongovernmental organizations, and civil society are acting as partners in implementing training programs for inspectors, coordinators, regular teachers, and teachers belonging to special education associations to improve their skills in the management of this group of learners. This task begins with an accurate diagnosis of students’ abilities and their learning pace. Significant advances in the education of children with special needs have been recorded in Morocco over the last 15 years. The number of children with disabilities attending school has increased by almost 12 times since the 2001–2002 school year. In the 2014–2015 school year, the number of students in integrated classes reached 6,498 (2,326 girls and 4,172 boys). The Ministry is expecting these numbers to rise with the steadily growing awareness of parents, associations, and local communities. The Ministry has developed a regulatory and structural framework to facilitate the progressive integration of children with mild to moderate disabilities in public schools into regular or integrated classes, causing a noticeable increase in the number of integrated classes for children with autism, intellectual or motor disabilities, or auditory or visual disabilities, as well as for students with learning disorders. The figures also show that thousands of students with motor and mild mental disabilities or with chronic diseases attend regular classes without discrimination with the rest of their peers. The Ministry has been making significant efforts to implement ramps for accessibility and provide educational services for students with disabilities. Efforts have been made to provide appropriate conditions for the administration of continual assessment and examinations for students with disabilities at the primary and secondary levels. For example, students with disabilities who are enrolled in regular schools take the same lower secondary and upper secondary exit examinations as their peers in mainstream classes, but measures are taken to provide the conditions necessary for them to be at ease during the administration of the tests (e.g., well equipped and well lit testing facilities, enlarged test materials). The nature and degree of student disabilities are taken into consideration during test administration. Sign language specialists are appointed to accompany deaf and/or mute children

PIRLS 2016 ENCYCLOPEDIA THE KINGDOM OF MOROCCO 10 during examinations, and blind students are accompanied by scribes who read the questions and record student responses. An extension of 30 minutes may be granted for students with certain types of disabilities. Examinations are graded by teachers who have received practical training in scoring the achievement of students with disabilities. Morocco is trying to invest efforts to cater to the following: • Training all stakeholders in the field of inclusive education • Equipping all classes with appropriate materials for teaching and learning • Reducing the number of students in regular classrooms that also accommodate children with disabilities in order to create conditions conducive to effective teaching and learning • Raising awareness to promote the enrollment of students with special needs (some parents are reluctant to send their children to school) • Anticipating the number of children with disabilities enrolled every year • Developing partnerships and cooperation with other government sectors • Designing more training plans and modules for the benefit of inspectors and directors of academic institutions and associations, in partnership with the Mohamed V Foundation for Solidarity and the National Mohamed V Center for the Handicapped • Mobilizing decision makers to support the Ministry of Education in making its projects a success

Monitoring Student Progress in Reading: The Ministry of National Education and Vocational Training has implemented policies that require students to pass exit examinations at each level of education to obtain a leaving certificate and continue to the next level. However, at the primary school level promotion generally is automatic, although a few students may be held back on the basis of final scores. Therefore, dropout rates have declined over the last 15 years, particularly for primary school students. At each educational cycle, the following exit examinations are administered: • Primary school exit examination—This is administered in all 12 regions of Morocco and developed by a commission of experienced inspectors and teachers from the Academies for Education and Training and provincial directorates. Students must pass this examination to be eligible for admission to lower secondary school. • Lower secondary school exit examination—This also is administered in all 12 regions of Morocco and developed by a commission of experienced inspectors and teachers from the Academies for Education and Training and provincial directorates. Successful students are awarded a leaving certificate and eligible for enrollment in upper secondary schools. • The baccalaureate examination—This is a national achievement examination developed at the National Center for Examinations. The examination takes three or four days to complete and covers the content and objectives outlined in the syllabi for upper secondary education. The

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content of the examination depends on the specific coursework taken by students. Some subjects are tested through school assessment at the end of the first or second year of baccalaureate education or through the regional examination administered in the second semester of the first year of baccalaureate education. Students who achieve an overall average of 10 or higher on a 20 point scale are awarded a baccalaureate diploma. The National Charter for Education and Training stipulates that all students who pass the baccalaureate examination are eligible (in the year in which they pass the examination) for tuition free studies at one of the country’s public universities. Formative assessment is an important source of feedback for teachers and is geared toward helping them gauge the effectiveness of their teaching strategies in relation to the curriculum, as well as to orient their teaching style to student learning styles.c Teachers use formative assessment aligned with ministerial circulars and pedagogical guidelines as a source of information about student progress and ability. Formative assessments are curriculum-based tests of student competencies that provide opportunities for remediation.32,33 The 1999 Charter for Education and Training stipulated that Morocco’s assessment and certification system should be overhauled. In response, the National Center for Evaluation and Examinations has led significant reform of the assessment and certification system. In an effort to ensure uniformity and standardization in the evaluation process, the center developed frameworks and procedures for the design, administration, and scoring of examination papers. Moreover, in collaboration with the Higher Council for Education, the center launched the National Program for the Evaluation of Acquired Learning Outcomes (Programme National d’Evaluation des Acquis, or PNEA) to implement a periodic assessment of student learning. The PNEA system of assessment makes it possible to gauge whether learning outcomes have been met and to define a benchmark against which to evaluate systematically the quality of education being provided. The 2008 PNEA executive summary includes recommendations to improve the teaching and learning of languages, mathematics, and science.34 An in-depth diagnosis of the school examinations and certification system is underway within the National Center for Evaluation and Examinations with the aim of redefining the system within a national policy framework for evaluating learning outcomes. The National Education Emergency Support Program 2009–2012 and priority measures and the integrated projects being undertaken are the outcome of the 2015–2030 national strategic vision as well as a variety of studies and assessments. They all aim to reform the system of assessment and certification to make it more credible. A series of measures and procedures that are more favorable to equity and equal opportunities must be taken in all examinations, including ongoing evaluation in the years to come.35

c Formative assessment is done either through evaluation of the prerequisite at the beginning of the school year (see the Use and Impact of PIRLS section) or continuous assessment, which is designed and administered by teachers and which plays a certification/summative role as well.

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Special Reading Initiatives Though Morocco has made significant strides in providing nearly universal access to education in the last decade, with net enrollment rates in Grade 1 going beyond 97 percent, Moroccan students constantly rank among the lowest achievers on international assessments as well as on the National Program for the Evaluation of Acquired Learning Outcomes (Programme National d’Evaluation des Acquis, or PNEA).d Students at the fourth grade and above still lack the literacy skills necessary to carry on their studies with no considerable difficulties. In addition to the low quality of learning, dropout rates still are high, especially among girls, in rural lower secondary schools. Low levels of attendance and teacher absenteeism also contribute to the low literacy rates in Morocco. Accordingly, in partnership with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the Ministry of National Education and Vocational Training worked out a scheme to improve education quality in general and literacy in particular. Many projects related to reading instruction and learning are underway. The Reading for Success Small Scale Experimentation Activity has changed the paradigm in the Moroccan curricula and the place of reading in particular.36 In fact, the story starts with a set of pilot studies conducted in cooperation with USAID (2007– 2014) in certain regions of Morocco.37 These studies have shown that to improve students’ reading, more focus should be put on phonological awareness skills and various strategies related to it in early grade levels. Having good phonological awareness skills means that the student is able to manipulate sounds and words. This innovative Reading for Success small scale experimentation project was geared toward experimenting a whole reading action plan on the basis of an Early Grade Assessment (EGRA) in 90 schools in a number of provincial directorates.38 The National Center for Assessment, Examinations, and Orientation contributed, jointly with USAID experts and the Directorate of Curricula, to the design of assessment instruments, intervention reading materials, and training of teachers, enumerators, and supervisors. The EGRA field study and the intervention that followed (2014–2016) have impacted students’ reading level significantly, providing a stronger rationale for literacy and evidence for adopting the syllabic approach to teaching reading.e For that reason, in the early grades revised curriculum there will be much emphasis on the sublexical level (e.g., phonemes, syllables, distinctive sound features) on listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills. Learners’ level of awareness about the correspondence between words and sounds during reading and writing activities boost their capacity to read fluently, listen or read for comprehension, and develop their lexis and other communicative competencies. Stories or tales, which have rarely been used in the Moroccan context, are designed and used to help students acquire positive values in addition to language and vocabulary and get them used to reading for pleasure.

d The National Program for the Evaluation of Acquired Learning Outcomes (Programme National d’Evaluation des Acquis, or PNEA) were administered in 2008 and 2016. e A national report on the pilot study results is forthcoming.

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In addition to the Reading for Success project, many small scale reading activities are implemented in various regions of Morocco, including reading stories, relating them by dictation, and public speaking contests. Children in Morocco also take part in an Arab reading contest, The Arab Reading Challenge Contest, which is overseen by the United Arab Emirates. The contest aims to develop a love of reading in the Arab world and to instill reading as a habit ingrained in students’ lives to increase their curiosity, critical thinking, and passion for knowledge.39

Use and Impact of PIRLS PIRLS has benefited all parties concerned with education in Morocco; it provides reliable, valid, and detailed data about Moroccan student achievement in reading literacy and, no less importantly, the educational environment within which they learn to read. Through PIRLS, Moroccan educationalists have gained deeper insights into ways to further improve reading literacy among Moroccan students on the basis of an international perspective. Seven years ago, the National Center for Assessment, Examinations, and Orientation, in collaboration with the regional Academies of Education and Training, started to draw benefits from the results of PIRLS and the National Program for the Evaluation of Acquired Learning Outcomes (Programme National d’Evaluation des Acquis, or PNEA). They first organized nationwide seminars that were a good opportunity to disseminate data about Moroccan student achievement in reading and the various areas that need further attention, such as the following: inferring word meanings using the immediate and wider context, expressing opinions, understanding the writer’s mood or intent, and evaluating texts in terms of genre and content. The seminars also provided an occasion to urge those involved in education to develop projects to help students improve reading competency. Reading for pleasure was a major emphasis across these seminars. Within the framework of improvement projects, schools and parents were urged to set up libraries in schools to further foster reading literacy. For the same purposes, educators are expected to attend similar seminars around the results of PIRLS 2016. The 12 regional centers for assessment and examinations as well as the 82 provincial ones, within the framework of the so-called integrated projects, will be responsible for analyzing their regions’ data from PIRLS (and TIMSS) to design and implement action plans geared toward improving the quality of teaching and learning of reading (as well as mathematics and science). In light of Moroccan student achievement in PIRLS 2006 and PNEA 2008, the Ministry of National Education and Vocational Training launched the Evaluation of Prerequisites program (L’Evaluation des Prérequis) in 2009. This diagnostic program, administered nationwide at the beginning of each school year, enables teachers to identify students’ areas of strength or areas needing improvement during instruction and according to each student’s learning pace. The program has been designed to meet multiple purposes: • Identify whether students master the key competencies and resources necessary to cope with the new language and reading curriculum

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• Enable teachers to identify student learning strengths and areas requiring improvement, with respect to instruction and individual learning pace • Help teachers implement remedial strategies on the basis of student results specifically geared toward students needing extra help, in groups or as individuals • Provide headmasters and school councils with reliable data to use in the development of improvement plans • Provide inspectors with data to direct teacher professional development sessions toward formative assessment and remediation • Build and sustain a culture of reading assessment Within the framework of the assessment program, diagnostic tests are administered and scored at the beginning of the school year. Students with similar learning difficulties are grouped together, and specific remedial work programs are designed and implemented for these student groups. One of the major benefits of this program is that when teachers cannot easily resolve students’ difficulties, headmasters, inspectors, pedagogical advisors, and school management councils are called upon to develop a context-specific improvement plan to provide more extracurricular student support. In cooperation with Japan International Cooperation Agencyʼs (JICA) technical assistance, this program, which previously targeted only a few school levels, will have covered all the primary school levels by September 2017 and will tap the core competencies (languages, mathematics, and science).

Suggested Readings The Higher council of Education, Training and Scientific Research. (2015). Pour une ecole de l’equité, la qualité et de la promotion: Vision stratégique de la réforme 2015–2030 [For a school with equity, quality and promotion: The strategic vision of reform 2015–2030]. Retrieved from http://www.men.gov.ma/Ar/Documents/mag- Vision2Fev2017.pdf

Strategic] ﺍﻟﺘﻭﺠﻴﻬﺎﺕ ﺍﻹﺴﺘﺭﺍﺘﻴﺠﻴﺔ ﻭﺍﻟﺘﺩﺍﺒﻴﺭ ﺫﺍﺕ ﺍﻷﻭﻟﻭﻴﺔ. .(Ministry of National Education and Vocational Training. (2015 directives and priority measures]. Retrieved from http://www.men.gov.ma/Ar/Documents/note- cadreMP99151012.pdf

Ministry of National Education, Higher Education, Staff Training and Scientific Research. (2009). Programme d’Urgence 2009–2012: Pour une Education Inclusive [ Emergency program 2009–2012: For inclusive education]. Retrieved from http://www.ibe.unesco.org/fileadmin/user_upload/Policy_Dialogue/48th_ICE/Presentations/IBE_ICE_Workshop_1 D_Presentation_FR_Minister_Education_Morocco_Nov08.pdf

Ministry of National Education, Higher Education, Staff Training and Scientific Research. (2008). Pour un nouveau souffle de la réforme Présentation du Programme NAJAH 2009–2012 rapport de synthèse [Towards a new breath for education— NAJAH 2009–2012 summary report]. Retrieved from http://fmps.ma/en/node/100

Ministère de l’Education Nationale, de l’Enseignement Supérieur de la Formation des Cadres et de la Recherche Scientifique. (2004). Apercu sur le systeme educative marocain [Overview of the Moroccan educational system]. Retrieved from http://www.men.gov.ma/Documents/aper%C3%A7u-systemeducatif-marocain2004.pdf ﺍﻟﺩﻟﻴل ﺍﻟﺒﻴﺩﺍﻏﻭﺠﻲ ﻟﻠﺘﻌﻠﻴﻡ .(Ministry of National Education, Higher Education, Staff Training and Scientific Research. (2009 .Primary school pedagogical guide (2nd edition)]. Bab Rouah: Author] ﺍﻻﺒﺘﺩﺍﺌﻲ-ﺍﻟﻁﺒﻌﺔ ﺍﻟﺜﺎﻨﻴﺔ

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References 1 Kingdom of Morocco. (2011). Moroccan Constitution 2011, Articles 31–32. Retrieved from https://www.constituteproject.org/constitution/Morocco_2011.pdf?lang=en

2 Ministerial Circular No. 106X15 organizing the revised curricula first measure related to the improvement of the curriculum of the first 4 primary school grades. (2015). Retrieved from http://www.men.gov.ma/Ar/Documents/note106151027.pdf

3 Kingdom of Morocco. (2011). Moroccan Constitution 2011, Articles 31–32. Retrieved from https://www.constituteproject.org/constitution/Morocco_2011.pdf?lang=en

4 Royaume du Maroc Commission Spéciale Education Formation. (1999). Charte nationale d'education et de formation [National Charter for Education and Training]. Retrieved from http://www.coimbra- group.eu/tempus/Docs/charte_fr.pdf

5 The Higher council of Education, Training and Scientific Research. (2015). Pour une ecole de l’equité, la qualité et de la promotion: Vision stratégique de la réforme 2015–2030 [For a school with equity, quality and promotion: The strategic vision of reform 2015–2030]. Retrieved from http://www.men.gov.ma/Ar/Documents/mag-Vision2Fev2017.pdf

6 Ministry of National Education, Higher Education, Staff Training and Scientific Research. (2009). Pour un nouveau souffle de la réforme Présentation du Programme NAJAH 2009–2012 rapport de synthèse [Towards a new breath for education— NAJAH 2009–2012 summary report]. Retrieved from https://www-iuem.univ- brest.fr/epure/figures/Programme_urgence_Maroc.pdf

7 Ministry of National Education and Vocational Training. (2016). Pour une ecole de l’equité, la qualité et de la promotion: Vision stratégique de la réforme 2015–2030 [For a school with equity, quality and promotion: The strategic vision of reform 2015–2030]. Retrieved from http://www.men.gov.ma/Ar/Documents/mag- Vision2Fev2017.pdf

8 The Higher Council of Education, Training and Scientific Research. 2015. Pour une ecole de l’equité, la qualité et de la promotion: Vision stratégique de la réforme 2015–2030 [For a school with equity, quality and promotion: The strategic vision of reform 2015–2030] (p.18). Retrieved from http://www.csefrs.ma/pdf/Vision_VF_Fr.pdf

ﺩﻟﻴل ﻓﻲ ﺍﻟﺘﺭﺒﻴﺔ .(Ministry of National Education, Higher Education, Staff Training and Scientific Research. (1994 9 .A guide for pre-primary education] (pp. 3–23). Bab Rouah: Author] ﻤﺎ ﻗﺒل ﻤﺩﺭﺴﻴﺔ

10 Directorate of Support, Ministry of National Education, Higher Education, Staff Training and Scientific [Guidelines and objectives of the preprimary cycle] ﺘﻭﺠﻴﻬﺎﺕ ﻭﺃﻫﺩﺍﻑ ﻋﺎﻤﺔ ﻟﻤﺭﺤﻠﺔ ﺍﻟﺘﻌﻠﻴﻡ ﺍﻷﻭﻟﻲ .(Research. (2001 (pp. 4–53). Bab Rouah: Author.

11 Directorate of Support, Ministry of National Education, Higher Education, Staff Training and Scientific [Guidelines and objectives of the preprimary cycle] ﺘﻭﺠﻴﻬﺎﺕ ﻭﺃﻫﺩﺍﻑ ﻋﺎﻤﺔ ﻟﻤﺭﺤﻠﺔ ﺍﻟﺘﻌﻠﻴﻡ ﺍﻷﻭﻟﻲ .(Research. (2001 (pp. 4–53). Bab Rouah: Author.

12 Ministry of National Education, Higher Education, Staff Training and Scientific Research. (2002). Le livre blanc [The white paper]. Bab Rouah: Author.

13 The Higher Council of Education, Training and Scientific Research. 2015. Pour une ecole de l’equité, la qualité et de la promotion: Vision stratégique de la réforme 2015–2030 [For a school with equity, quality and promotion: The strategic vision of reform 2015–2030] (p.18). Retrieved from http://www.csefrs.ma/pdf/Vision_VF_Fr.pdf

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14 Ministry of National Education, Higher Education, Staff Training and Scientific Research. (2002). Le livre blanc [The white paper]. Bab Rouah: Author. 15 United States Agency for International Development. (2017). Morocco: Reading for Success—Small Scale Experimentation (RFS—SSE). Retrieved from https://www.usaid.gov/morocco/fact-sheets/reading-success-small- scale-experimentation-rfs-sse

ﺍﻟﺒﺭﺍﻤﺞ .(Ministry of National Education, Higher Education, Staff Training and Scientific Research. (2011 16 -Primary school revised curricula and guidelines] ﻭﺍﻟﺘﻭﺠﻴﻬﺎﺕ ﺍﻟﺘﺭﺒﻭﻴﺔ ﺍﻟﻤﻨﻘﺤﺔ ﻟﺴﻠﻙ ﺍﻟﺘﻌﻠﻴﻡ ﺍﻻﺒﺘﺩﺍﺌﻲ-ﻤﺩﻴﺭﻴﺔ ﺍﻟﻤﻨﺎﻫﺞ Curricula Directorate] (pp. 73–88). Bab Rouah: Author.

ﺍﻟﺒﺭﺍﻤﺞ .(Ministry of National Education, Higher Education, Staff Training and Scientific Research. (2011 17 -Primary school revised curricula and guidelines] ﻭﺍﻟﺘﻭﺠﻴﻬﺎﺕ ﺍﻟﺘﺭﺒﻭﻴﺔ ﺍﻟﻤﻨﻘﺤﺔ ﻟﺴﻠﻙ ﺍﻟﺘﻌﻠﻴﻡ ﺍﻻﺒﺘﺩﺍﺌﻲ-ﻤﺩﻴﺭﻴﺔ ﺍﻟﻤﻨﺎﻫﺞ Curricula Directorate] (pp. 73–88). Bab Rouah: Author.

18 Royaume du Maroc Commission Spéciale Education Formation. (1999). Charte nationale d'education et de formation [National Charter for Education and Training]. Retrieved from http://www.coimbra- group.eu/tempus/Docs/charte_fr.pdf

19 Ministerial Circular No. 106X15 organizing the revised curricula first measure related to the improvement of the curriculum of the first 4 primary school grades. (2015). Retrieved from http://www.men.gov.ma/Ar/Documents/note106151027.pdf

ﺍﻟﺩﻟﻴل .(Ministry of National Education, Higher Education, Staff Training and Scientific Research. (2009 20 :Primary school pedagogical guide (2nd edition)] (p. 77). Bab Rouah] ﺍﻟﺒﻴﺩﺍﻏﻭﺠﻲ ﻟﻠﺘﻌﻠﻴﻡ ﺍﻻﺒﺘﺩﺍﺌﻲ-ﺍﻟﻁﺒﻌﺔ ﺍﻟﺜﺎﻨﻴﺔ Author.

ﺍﻟﺩﻟﻴل .(Ministry of National Education, Higher Education, Staff Training and Scientific Research. (2009 21 :Primary school pedagogical guide (2nd edition)] (p. 77). Bab Rouah] ﺍﻟﺒﻴﺩﺍﻏﻭﺠﻲ ﻟﻠﺘﻌﻠﻴﻡ ﺍﻻﺒﺘﺩﺍﺌﻲ-ﺍﻟﻁﺒﻌﺔ ﺍﻟﺜﺎﻨﻴﺔ Author.

22 United States Agency for International Development. (2017). Morocco: Reading for Success—Small Scale Experimentation (RFS—SSE). Retrieved from https://www.usaid.gov/morocco/fact-sheets/reading-success-small- scale-experimentation-rfs-sse

23 Royaume du Maroc, Comission Spéciale de L’Education et de la Formation. (1999). Charte Nationale d’Education et de Formation [National Charter for Education and Training]. Retrieved from https://www.coimbra-group.eu/tempus/Docs/charte_fr.pdf

24 Ministry of National Education, Higher Education, Staff Training and Scientific Research. (2014). La stratégie numérique au Maroc avec le programme GENIE [Presentation by the director of the GENIE program]. Retrieved from https://www.ludovia.com/2014/06/la-strategie-numerique-au-maroc-avec-le-programme-genie/

25 The Higher Council of Education, Training and Scientific Research. 2015. Pour une ecole de l’equité, la qualité et de la promotion: Vision stratégique de la réforme 2015–2030 [For a school with equity, quality and promotion: The strategic vision of reform 2015–2030]. Retrieved from http://www.csefrs.ma/pdf/Vision_VF_Fr.pdf

26 Kingdom of Morocco. (2011). Moroccan Constitution 2011, Article 5. Retrieved from https://www.constituteproject.org/constitution/Morocco_2011.pdf?lang=en

27 The Higher Council of Education, Training and Scientific Research. 2015. Pour une ecole de l’equité, la qualité et de la promotion: Vision stratégique de la réforme 2015-2030 [For a school with equity, quality and promotion: The strategic vision of reform 2015-2030] (pp. 47–48). Retrieved from http://www.csefrs.ma/pdf/Vision_VF_Fr.pdf

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ﺍﻟﺘﻭﺠﻴﻪ .(Ministry of National Education, Vocational Training, Higher Education and Scientific Research. (2017 28 career track and professional to the professional Guidance] ﺇﻟﻰ ﺍﻟﻤﺴﺎﺭ ﺍﻟﻤﻬﻨﻲ ﺍﻹﻋﺩﺍﺩﻱ ﻭ ﺍﻟﺒﺎﻜﻠﻭﺭﻴﺎ ﺍﻟﻤﻬﻨﻴﺔ baccalaureate]. Retrieved from http://www.men.gov.ma/Ar/Pages/bacpro-sapace.aspx

29 United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). (1994). The Salamanca statement and framework for action on special needs education. Retrieved from http://www.unesco.org/education/pdf/SALAMA_E.PDF

30 The Higher Council of Education, Training and Scientific Research. 2015. Pour une ecole de l’equité, la qualité et de la promotion: Vision stratégique de la réforme 2015–2030 [For a school with equity, quality and promotion: The strategic vision of reform 2015–2030] (pp. 20–21). Retrieved from http://www.csefrs.ma/pdf/Vision_VF_Fr.pdf

31 The Higher Council of Education, Training and Scientific Research. 2015. Pour une ecole de l’equité, la qualité et de la promotion: Vision stratégique de la réforme 2015–2030 [For a school with equity, quality and promotion: The strategic vision of reform 2015–2030] (pp. 20–21). Retrieved from http://www.csefrs.ma/pdf/Vision_VF_Fr.pdf

ﺘﺄﻁﻴﺭ ﻭﺘﺘﺒﻊ .(Ministry of National Education, Higher Education, Staff Training and Scientific Research. (2010 32 Organizing and monitoring the] ﺒﺘﺎﺭﻴﺦ ﺩﻴﺴﻤﺒﺭ 179ﺍﻟﻤﺫﻜﺭﺓ ﺭﻗﻡ -ﺇﺠﺭﺍﺀ ﺍﻟﻤﺭﺍﻗﺒﺔ ﺍﻟﻤﺴﺘﻤﺭﺓ ﺒﺴﻠﻙ ﺍﻟﺘﻌﻠﻴﻡ ﺍﻻﺒﺘﺩﺍﺌﻲ implementation of continuous assessment–Ministerial circular number 179]. Retrieved from http://www.men.gov.ma ﺍﻟﺩﻟﻴل .(Ministry of National Education, Higher Education, Staff Training and Scientific Research. (2009 33 .Primary school pedagogical guide (2nd edition)]. Bab Rouah: Author] ﺍﻟﺒﻴﺩﺍﻏﻭﺠﻲ ﻟﻠﺘﻌﻠﻴﻡ ﺍﻻﺒﺘﺩﺍﺌﻲ-ﺍﻟﻁﺒﻌﺔ ﺍﻟﺜﺎﻨﻴﺔ

34 Higher Council for Education and Training. (2008). Programme national d’evaluation des acquis (PNEA 2008) [National program for the assessment of learning (PNEA 2008)]. Retrieved from http://www.csefrs.ma/pdf/rappor_synthetique_VF.pdf

35 The Higher Council of Education, Training and Scientific Research. 2015. Pour une ecole de l’equité, la qualité et de la promotion: Vision stratégique de la réforme 2015–2030 [For a school with equity, quality and promotion: The strategic vision of reform 2015–2030] (p. 45). Retrieved from http://www.csefrs.ma/pdf/Vision_VF_Fr.pdf

36 United States Agency for International Development. (2017). Morocco: Reading for Success—Small Scale Experimentation (RFS—SSE). Retrieved from https://www.usaid.gov/morocco/fact-sheets/reading-success-small- scale-experimentation-rfs-sse

37 United States Agency for International Development. (2017). Morocco: Education. https://www.usaid.gov/morocco/education

38 Arab Reading Challenge. (2016). Vision, mission & values. Retrieved from http://www.arabreadingchallenge.com/vision-mission-values

39 Arab Reading Challenge. (2016). Vision, mission & values. Retrieved from http://www.arabreadingchallenge.com/vision-mission-values

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