Many young Moroccans are drawn to Shakespeare’s language, believing that it will provide them with better education and work opportunities.
In Morocco, English is gnawing on the ground. A study by the British Council entitled “Shift to English” reveals that young Moroccans are increasingly setting their sights on English. Thus, 65% of those polled would prefer the language of Shakespeare to that of Molière. They believe that English will give access to better education and a job abroad.
In the country, this trend is real, confirmed by the flowering of Anglo-Saxon establishments in the big cities, to meet the growing demand. Alongside the listed American schools in Casablanca, Rabat and Tangier, establishments are multiplying, such as the British International School in Casablanca or the London Academy, opened in 2017 to attract pragmatic youth.
A struggle with French
“We see in the middle and upper classes a real attraction for English. It is the economic function of English that attracts young people: English is the language of cutting-edge sectors, science, business, the Internet… Employers in Morocco are asking for more. more trilingual profiles,” said Leila Messaoudi, academic and linguist.
But English is also present in national education, whether in primary schools or high schools. Since 2014, the government has launched the international section of the Moroccan bac, English option, in which science subjects are taught in English in nine high schools, including six public ones, which bring together 473 students… In the background, it’s a latent struggle which sets up French, the country’s historic language, to train young people.
