For the Ministry of National Education, this postponement, although strongly contested, is dictated by purely health considerations. It thus aims to continue the operation of vaccination of children aged 12 to 17 under the best conditions.
Like the start of the school year last year, this year has sparked a real public outcry in Moroccan society. And this to the point that some parents of students already consider it a dead year. Initially scheduled for September 3, it was postponed a first time to September 10 and then a second time to October 1. Yet another postponement that provoked anger and incomprehension among all the parents of the students and their children.
The families who suffer the most are those who have prepaid the tuition fees for the month of September. Believing to do well for their offspring, they were surprised by a decision made public on Monday, September 6 by the Ministry of National Education. A decision that plunged all of Morocco into amazement and incomprehension.
But the reaction of the Minister of National Education, Saaid Amzazi, was relatively quick. To appease their anger, he met the next day, Tuesday, September 7, with representatives of the parents of students as well as with private schools to reshape the schedule of payment of tuition fees. Thus, parents who paid for the month of September will not pay for the month of next October. Another measure taken by the ministry: the 2021-2022 school year will be extended until July.
Some see this controversial measure as a tactic to compensate private schools for the financial shortfall in September. Knowing full well that the month of July is in the middle of summer and where temperatures reach over 50 degrees in several non-seaside cities such as Fez or Marrakech. For the Ministry of National Education, this postponement, although strongly contested, is dictated by purely health considerations. It thus aims to continue the operation of vaccination of children aged 12 to 17 under the best conditions.
A large-scale operation
Because it is this vaccination operation that will allow the supervisory authorities to organize a new school year with a teaching method based on 100% face-to-face. The goal is also to achieve stronger and more secure collective immunity against Covid-19. And to achieve this collective immunity, the Kingdom has committed, like the advanced countries, to a large-scale operation that consists of vaccinating young adolescents.
It will affect around 3 million students from public and private education and even from foreign academic missions. The latest news is that this campaign is very popular with children and their parents. According to the latest figures released by the Ministry of Health, half a million students are vaccinated at the first dose. For many, adopting face-to-face education is not an easy decision. Because it will take into account the evolution of the epidemiological situation and the disparities observed between the various regions and provinces of the Kingdom.
The wishes of families will be taken into account regarding the pedagogical model to be adopted, knowing that the ministry will ensure that the various pedagogical learning formulas are available.
