Government proposes decree requiring private schools to offer free education to disadvantaged students

A draft government decree mandating private schools in Morocco to offer free education to disadvantaged students and children with disabilities is set to be discussed next Tuesday by the Legal Affairs Committee of the national task force implementing Framework Law 51.17, according to a source familiar with the matter.

The proposed decree, number 2.21.81, outlines the conditions and percentage of free enrollment private educational institutions must provide for children from low-income families, individuals with disabilities, and others in special situations. The meeting will take place at the General Secretariat of the Government.

According to the draft, prepared by the Ministry of National Education, Preschool and Sports and reviewed by Hespress AR, private school institutions will be required to offer free registration to disadvantaged students, representing at least 15%of their total enrollment. This obligation would apply to schools where student capacity does not exceed 50% of their total intake limit.

Breakdown of Allocation

Article 4 of the decree proposes distributing the 15% quota as follows:

• 30% for students from low-income families,

• 30% for individuals with disabilities,

• 40% for students in other special circumstances.

In cases where one category does not fill its quota, the unfilled portion would be reassigned to the category with the highest demand, according to the draft text.

The decree allows the relevant ministry to determine, through a separate administrative decision, the list of services to be provided free of charge, the eligibility criteria, the required documents for applicants, and the terms of service delivery.

The list of eligible beneficiaries, families in need, people with disabilities, and those in special situations, will be defined in accordance with existing laws and regulations. Schools will be required to submit beneficiary lists to the appropriate authorities under guidelines to be issued by the ministry.

Article 7 of the draft stipulates that new or existing licenses for private schools must include this mandatory contribution to free education.

If approved, the decree will take effect at the beginning of the 2025–2026 academic year, and any contradictory provisions will be repealed as of that date.

Private Schools Respond with Concern

The proposal has sparked strong reactions from private school associations. During a meeting held Tuesday in Casablanca, professional groups representing the private education sector expressed “deep concern” and announced the formation of a “crisis unit” to address the issue.

In a statement viewed by Hespress AR, the associations said they were “surprised and alarmed” by the release of a decree obligating private schools to offer free services to at least 15% of their student capacity—without prior consultation or notification.

While reaffirming their commitment to the principles of Framework Law 51.17 and support for socially inclusive initiatives, the associations criticized the lack of engagement with the joint committee established on September 19, 2023 (ref. 026.23), to facilitate collaboration between the ministry and private education bodies.

The statement urged private institutions to refrain from responding to the decree until further notice and promised to continue contacting relevant authorities to clarify the situation.

“The decree disregards the comprehensive scope of the framework law,” the statement argued, pledging continued follow-up from the newly formed crisis committee.