Over half of Moroccans say government’s education performance 'poor', survey shows

More than six in 10 Moroccans say the government is performing poorly in meeting the country’s educational needs, according to a new Afrobarometer survey covering 38 African nations in 2024 and 2025.

The report, titled “Half of Africans give their governments failing marks on education,” found that 61% of Moroccan respondents said the government is handling education “very badly.” Only 39% said the government is doing well, below the continental average of 49%.

Despite the low approval rating, the survey found Morocco has one of the highest levels of post-secondary education in Africa, with 36% of Moroccans reporting they have completed education beyond secondary school. The figure is second only to Seychelles at 48%.

However, the study also found that 16% of Moroccans have no formal education.

By comparison, only 5% of people in Mozambique and Malawi have post-secondary education, while 43% and 58% respectively have completed only primary school.

The survey highlighted gender disparities in Morocco, with women 4 percentage points more likely than men to have no formal education and 1 percentage point less likely to have post-secondary education.

The report also examined barriers to girls’ education. Fifteen percent of Moroccan respondents said girls are often or always prevented from attending school because families prioritize boys’ education, slightly above the continental average of 13%.

The figures are higher in Cameroon (28%) and Malawi (27%) and lower in Seychelles (1%) and Botswana (3%).

On school safety and discrimination, 27% of Moroccans said girls often face discrimination, harassment or requests for sexual favors from teachers, a rate close to the continental average.

The highest figures were recorded in Gabon (71%) and Cameroon (55%), while Mauritius (2%) and Madagascar (9%) reported the lowest rates.

The survey also found that schools are widely accessible in Morocco, with 99% of respondents saying a public or private school is within easy walking distance.