Morocco - Teaching Profession

Several pedagogical institutions train secondary level teachers. High school graduates who have an appropriate entrance exam score may enroll in a two-year program at Pedagogical Regional Centers (Centres Pédagogiques Régionaux or CPRs). These centers are geographically localized, based on the administrative, decentralized law of Morocco and its regional socioeconomic developmental needs and requirements. They are located in the Fez region in Boulmane; Tangier region in Tetouan; Souss region in Massa Daraa; the eastern region; Marrakech region in Tansift-Haouz; Tadla region in Azilal; the grand Casablanca region; and the Rabat region. Students enrolled at a CPR study specialized subjects ranging from languages, notably French and Arabic, to mathematics, the sciences, humanities, social sciences, physical education, and the arts. Students graduating from a CPR can teach only at the first cycle or junior high school.

High school graduates with appropriate entrance exam scores may enroll in Higher Normal Schools (Ecoles Normales Supérieures or ENSs). These four-year programs offer courses in pedagogy, the art of teaching, and a variety of academic subjects depending on the chosen field of teaching. Specialized academic areas include mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology and geology, the health sciences, business and economics, literature and the humanities, the arts, social sciences, physical education, history and geography, theology, and philosophy. ENS graduates become secondary high school teachers. A specified priority-ranking and pedagogical needs determine the placement of the new teacher. Generally, after teaching a few years, teachers may request to be moved to another geographical area. At the end of the 1990s, there were 10 ENSs in Casablanca, Marrakech, Fez, Meknes, Rabat, and Tetouan.

Higher Normal Schools of Technical Education (Ecoles Normales Superiéures d'Enseignement Technique or ENSET) prepare students interested in technical fields (Bacs techniques) to teach in high schools. ENSET's are located in two main areas: the beach city of Mohammedia, which is about 20 miles north of Casablanca, and the capital Rabat. Training in the areas of technology and applied scientific knowledge include electronics, information technology, computing and information systems, home appliances, refrigeration, and auto-mechanic.

Teaching Examiners Formation Centers (Centres de Formation des Inspecteurs de l'Enseignement or CFIEs) prepare examiners to monitor, assess, and provide feedback on the quantity and quality in the pre-college teaching profession; relationships among schools, administrators, principals, and teachers; teaching market issues; pupil performance and learning objective outcomes; and even teaching material, building furniture, and school supplies.

Planning and Orientation Educational Centers (Centres d'Orientation et de Planification de l'Education or COPEs) are responsible for macro-, micro-, and mesoeducational aims, objectives, needs, and appropriately dynamic strategies and educational tactics. COPEs, in liaison with the national Supreme Council of Education, brainstorm the educational aggregates and needs. The following areas are among those considered: supply, demand, pedagogical needs, recruitment, costs, savings, educational investment infrastructure, educational socioeconomic infra-structure, educational bond issues and financing securities, and the role of education in national economic growth.

Employment in the educational profession has been steadily increasing. In the recent pedagogical triennium, the three-year period from 1996 to 1998, CPRs, ENSs, ENSETs, CFIEs, and COPEs supplied the following: 2,636 graduates in the academic year 1996-1997 (758 females); 2,453 newly accepted-enrolled (736 females) in 1997-1998; and 3,995 graduates (1083 females) in 1997-1998. In 1997-1998 there were 1,470 full-time faculty and 365 adjunct faculty at the CPRs, ENSs, ENSETs, CFIEs, and COPEs.