WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2526/97 by Panayotis LAMBRIAS to the Commission. Illiteracy in Morocco
Date: 1997-07-24
Institutions: European Parliament, LAMBRIAS
Subjects: Morocco, basic education, compulsory education, gender equality, illiteracy, rural habitat, woman













EUR-Lex - 91997E2526 - EN






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91997E2526

WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2526/97 by Panayotis LAMBRIAS to the Commission. Illiteracy in Morocco  


Official Journal C 076 , 11/03/1998 P. 0120 





WRITTEN QUESTION E-2526/97 by Panayotis Lambrias (PPE) to the Commission (24 July 1997)Subject: Illiteracy in MoroccoThe illiteracy rate in Morocco is alarmingly high, particularly among the female population. What immediate measures does the Commission intend to take within the framework of the MEDA agreements to contribute to the gradual reduction of this alarming phenomenon? Has it notified the Moroccan Government of the need for immediate and bold measures to establish compulsory education and to abolish discrimination against females, as a precondition for EU-Moroccan cooperation and aid?Answer given by Mr Marín on behalf of the Commission (11 September 1997)Coverage of basic educational needs in Morocco is extremely poor, being similar to that in some of the least developed countries. Half the population is illiterate. Women and the rural population are particularly badly affected ((In the countryside 90% of women are illiterate (1994). The net rate of school attendance by girls in rural areas was 34% in 1994 (as against 85% for boys in urban areas). )) and this is a major obstacle to sustainable growth in Morocco. School attendance is compulsory in Morocco and a satisfactory proportion of the central-government budget is allocated to education ((Averaging about 25% over the last ten years (not including higher education), which is well within the average for countries with similar income levels. )).But access to education for the most disadvantaged sections of the population is made difficult by a number of factors: shortage of resources for basic education; the internal inefficiency of the system, with excessive numbers of badly managed and ill-trained personnel, run-down infrastructure, and unsuitable teaching systems; and highly scattered homes in rural areas. The opportunity cost of school attendance ((Combined with a very poor standard of infrastructure (water, roads and farm tracks, health) in remote country areas. )) is also high for the poorest families (more especially parents of girls in rural areas), which affects the demand for education. The problem, therefore, is a complex one.The Moroccan authorities - at the very highest level - realise how serious the situation is. Last year the king appointed a national commission to make an overall assessment of the reforms needed by the education system as a whole. The first concrete results were expected in October 1997.The 1996-98 National Indicative Programme for Morocco allocated a total of ECU 50 000 000 to basic education in that country ((I.e., 11% of the total 1996-98 National Indicative Programme for Morocco. )). The first part was to finance an investment programme for building and repairing schools in rural areas. This is now in the planning stage. Phase Two would see the Commission aiding a programme of essential - though delicate - reforms, in close collaboration with the World Bank.