Only a quarter of Moroccans satisfied with education system, down from 43% in 2016

Only a quarter of Moroccans are satisfied with the education system, down from 43% in 2016 according to a recent survey conducted by the Arab Barometer network. The survey has revealed mixed levels of satisfaction with public services in Morocco. 

The survey, which included a sample of 2,411 citizens from across the country, found that nearly a third (35%) of Moroccans are satisfied with healthcare, a figure that has nearly doubled since 2018 (18%). 

However, there is a significant disparity between the wealthy and the poor, with 44% of the wealthiest Moroccans reporting satisfaction with healthcare compared to only 26% of the poorest.

The survey also delved into the issue of corruption, which it described as a troubling concern for the vast majority of citizens across the region, not just Morocco. 

The report said that three-quarters (74%) of Moroccans believe that corruption is widespread in state institutions to a great or medium extent. 

This figure has remained stable since the fourth round of the Arab Barometer in 2016 but is driven more strongly among those with lower socioeconomic status.

The report further noted that 86% of those who struggle to meet their needs believe that corruption is rampant in state institutions, while only about 6 in 10 (59%) of the wealthiest Moroccans say the same. 

Similarly, the less educated are 11 percentage points more likely than the most educated to perceive corruption as widespread (77% vs. 66%).

“Seven in 10 people (69%) believe that corruption is widespread at the local level, while 4 in 10 people (42%) believe it is widespread at the regional level,” the survey added. 

“The least wealthy are 29 percentage points more likely to hold this view at the local level: 82% vs. 53% and 25 points at the regional level (56% vs. 31%).”

The fieldwork found that less than half (47%) are convinced that the government is fighting corruption. While the figures have not changed significantly since the last round, this level is 11 percentage points higher than the 36% recorded in the fifth round in 2018. 

“Wealthier Moroccans say the government is fighting corruption 28 percentage points more than the poorest (63% vs. 35%),” the survey revealed.

With corruption perceived as widespread at all levels, according to the survey, it is not surprising that Moroccans, like their counterparts in other countries in the region, sometimes find themselves forced to use mediation and bribery.

Two-thirds say they use mediation (65%) or bribery (66%) to get a job, while a slightly lower proportion say they use mediation (63%) or bribery (62%) to obtain official documents from government agencies.

On freedom of expression, the majority of Moroccans (58%) believe that freedom to express their opinions is guaranteed to a great or medium extent, the same figure recorded in 2022 (60%) and 10 points higher than in 2018 (48%). 

Seven in 10 people (71%) say that freedom of the press is guaranteed, representing a 12 percentage point increase compared to 2022 (59%).

More than half (57%) also find that freedom of assembly and protest is guaranteed to a great or medium extent, representing a 12 percentage point increase over the 2022 figure (45%). 

When it comes to the internet, Moroccans are concerned about the limitation of freedom of expression, especially with regard to government (54%) and foreign (51%) surveillance and monitoring, as well as social media platforms (53%).