Assahafa.com
Education Minister Mohamed Saad Berrada reacted strongly yesterday to suggestions of reducing learning hours in Moroccan schools, stating that this is entirely incompatible at this time, during the current educational reform process.
The minister spoke as part of an ongoing parliamentary debate over the budget for the Ministry of Education, as he maintained that the system is currently in a critical phase of overhaul, and insisted that any move to scale back hours now would undermine progress already underway.
Berrada indicated that it is not a coincidence that students have extra study classes, but rather a deliberate intervention to address uneven performance across the country.
According to him, teachers have been asked to extend their hours so that struggling students can receive additional academic support, ensuring that classrooms move forward together rather than leaving some pupils behind.
He asked why anyone would expect him to cut teachers’ working hours at a time when his ministry is trying to close gaps in students’ learning, as they strive to reinforce students’ basic skills in different subject areas.
“Once students start succeeding, then there’s no problem,” the minister stated, emphasizing that the top priority is to bring students to a constant level of success. Only after this is accomplished, he said, would it be natural to proceed to a less hectic pace.
Until then, he believes that students’ workloads have to be at a level significant enough to bring concrete results. Berrada recognized that this time is challenging, but he insisted that it is essential in order for this educational reform to bring about results as envisaged by the government.
For support for his stance, Berrada quoted international standards for instructional hours. In this regard, he quoted a survey known as TALIS—which he referred to as “Matis”—indicating that international standards for teaching in primary schools are 41 hours of teaching per week, whereas in Morocco, teaching hours amount to only 31 hours per week.
He indicated that anything below this would further disconnect the country from international teaching standards, resulting in critical outcomes for learners.
The remarks by the minister resulted from increasing political and social pressure to lighten the burden in schools, with certain critics insisting that the burden has become overwhelming for both students and educators alike.
Raising awareness about this issue, Berrada, however, stated that it is premature to reduce the hours at this stage because reforms ought to be completed prior to embarking upon an undertaking of this nature.
“Once students start succeeding, then there’s no problem,” the minister stated, emphasizing that the top priority is to bring students to a constant level of success. Only after this is accomplished, he said, would it be natural to proceed to a less hectic pace.
Until then, he believes that students’ workloads have to be at a level significant enough to bring concrete results. Berrada recognized that this time is challenging, but he insisted that it is essential in order for this educational reform to bring about results as envisaged by the government.
For support for his stance, Berrada quoted international standards for instructional hours. In this regard, he quoted a survey known as TALIS—which he referred to as “Matis”—indicating that international standards for teaching in primary schools are 41 hours of teaching per week, whereas in Morocco, teaching hours amount to only 31 hours per week.
He indicated that anything below this would further disconnect the country from international teaching standards, resulting in critical outcomes for learners.
The remarks by the minister resulted from increasing political and social pressure to lighten the burden in schools, with certain critics insisting that the burden has become overwhelming for both students and educators alike.
Raising awareness about this issue, Berrada, however, stated that it is premature to reduce the hours at this stage because reforms ought to be completed prior to embarking upon an undertaking of this nature.
Source: Morocco word news
