Reducing school dropout rates and ensuring universal access to quality preschool education are set to be the Ministry of Education’s top priorities in 2026. That’s the message from Mohamed Saad Berrada, Minister of National Education, Preschool, and Sports, during his presentation of the sector’s budget before the Parliamentary Committee on Education, Culture, and Communication.
One of the flagship initiatives is the expansion of the “Pioneer Schools” program, which aims to create 2,000 new primary schools and 500 additional middle schools. This effort is part of a broader push to curb dropout rates by tackling the root causes of school disengagement, particularly in rural areas. Key strategies include boosting both academic and social support for students, with a strong focus on transportation, school meals, and accommodation to ease access and improve retention.
The ministry also plans to extend the network of “second chance” education centers, upgrade existing school infrastructure, and continue addressing overcrowded classrooms—a challenge already showing signs of improvement. The percentage of overfilled primary classrooms has dropped by 1.7%, and the ministry now aims to reduce that figure to below 1% by the next school year.
Digital transformation is also on the agenda. Around 34,000 classrooms within the pioneer schools network will be equipped with new technology, and every school in the country is expected to be connected to the internet. In tandem, the ministry is preparing to launch free online learning platforms in Arabic, Amazigh, and foreign languages, reflecting a broader strategy to integrate digital tools into the classroom experience.
In terms of staffing, the 2026 budget includes 20,000 new positions for the education sector. Of these, 19,000 are earmarked for new teacher hires, 600 for assistant professors, and 344 for graduates of the national agrégation program. This investment in human resources is meant to bolster both quality and continuity in teaching across the country.
The Minister also highlighted that Morocco ranks among the top 16 countries globally when it comes to education spending as a percentage of GDP. For 2026, the national education budget will reach 97 billion dirhams—an amount that underscores the country’s ambition to join the ranks of the world’s ten most committed nations in the field of education.
On the sports front, the budget will rise slightly to 2.05 billion dirhams, an increase of 21 million compared to the current fiscal year. Partially financed by the National Fund for Sports Development, this allocation will support the construction and renovation of 500 local sports fields, particularly in underserved areas. The focus will be on integrating these facilities into school environments, with the goal of fostering athletic participation and promoting civic values among students.
