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Morocco's preschool enrollment surpasses 70% amid rural surge
Morocco has achieved significant strides in early childhood education, with preschool enrollment for children aged four to five climbing from just over 50% in 2015 to more than 70% in 2025. This progress, highlighted in a recent evaluation unveiled in Rabat, reflects nationwide efforts to broaden access to structured early learning. Hicham Ait Mansour, Director of the National Evaluation Authority under the Higher Council for Education, presented these findings following the release of the Preschool Evaluation Report for the 2024-2025 school year.
The advancements tie directly to the Preschool Development and Generalization Program initiated in 2018, targeting universal coverage by 2028. Rural regions have seen the most dramatic gains, with enrollment rates more than doubling and now surpassing urban levels, driven by a surge in public preschool units and reduced reliance on unstructured settings. Public expenditure on preschool has likewise doubled since 2019, shifting emphasis from infrastructure to operational support, fostering more standardized environments.
Challenges persist
Despite these successes, disparities in learning quality between rural and urban areas remain, alongside infrastructure deficits, sanitation issues, and governance gaps. The report, produced with UNICEF, stresses the need for uniform quality standards, better educator training, and improved conditions to enhance staff retention and inclusive practices for children with disabilities. Territorial and social inequalities, limited interactive methods, and uneven professional support further complicate progress.
Path forward
Recommendations focus on bolstering quality controls, institutional coordination, and local authority roles under advanced regionalization. Enhancing educator professionalism through stable jobs, superior training, and ongoing development emerges as a priority to sustain momentum. Fieldwork across 180 diverse preschool units, involving observations and surveys of children, staff, managers, and parents, underpins the report's comprehensive insights.
