Classroom overcrowding: 31.9% of Morocco's middle school classrooms exceed 37 students

The Ministry of National Education, Preschool, and Sports has reported that many Moroccan classrooms continue to face overcrowding issues, particularly in public schools.

Despite some improvements in recent years, numerous classrooms accommodate over 40 students, with some exceeding 45.

In primary education, 9.1% of classrooms had between 37 and 40 students during the last school year, with urban areas affected more significantly at 16.4% compared to 4.7% in rural regions. Classrooms with 41 to 44 students made up 3.2%, with urban rates at 5.6% and rural at 1.8%. Additionally, 1% of classrooms surpassed 45 students, rising to 1.7% in cities.

Middle schools also struggle with overcrowding, where 31.9% of classrooms housed between 37 and 40 students. Urban middle schools had a slightly higher rate at 33.2%.

Furthermore, 16% of middle school classrooms accommodated 41 to 44 students, with rural areas slightly ahead at 16.3%. Alarmingly, 5.6% of middle school classrooms contained between 45 and 50 students last year.

Upper secondary schools reported a less severe but still concerning situation, with approximately 22.9% of classrooms holding between 37 and 40 students, and 2.8% exceeding 45 students.

On a positive note, the ministry’s data indicates a decline in the school dropout rate, falling from 5.3% in 2016/2017 to 4.4% in 2022/2023. Boys constitute the majority of dropouts at 5.2%. Grade repetition rates also decreased from 15.3% to 8.1%, with boys repeating more frequently at 13.7%.

Overall enrollment rates have seen significant improvement, with children aged 6 to 16 reaching an enrollment rate of 102.7% in urban areas last year, up from 95.5% in 2017/2018. Rural enrollment rose from 85.8% to 99.3%, though rural girls still lag slightly, increasing from 82.4% to 98.3%.

Additionally, private education has seen a resurgence, with enrollment in private schools rising from 14.2% in 2017/2018 to 15.3% in the most recent school year, highlighting its growing appeal among Moroccan families.