Virtual Magazine of Morocco on the Web
Morocco Week in Review 
February 9, 2013

Living in Morocco: dear America, what you asked, and what I learned
By Emily Goshey Morocco World News Philadelphia, July 4, 2012

Those who travel to Morocco always start with an idea of what life out there will be like. Sometimes romantic visions of exotic, oriental lifestyles lead to false expectations, and in other cases careful preparation and pre-departure research allows for a realistic understanding of what is to come once they arrive. Either way, those impressions develop and transform as the reality of life in a Muslim, Arab, African, Berber, francophone nation sinks in. For some, the experience is an uncomfortable confrontation and for others it is a process of liberation from preconceived notions and a plunge into the truth of what life in Morocco means to Moroccans themselves.

I cannot claim to understand what life in Morocco signifies, even after living for nine months with a Moroccan family in Rabat. Moroccans themselves differ widely in their opinions about the political, social, cultural, and economic conditions of their nation. Nevertheless, I did learn a few lessons during my time abroad. In some ways, my time in the Maghreb reinforced the ideas that I already had. In other ways, those few months have forever changed the way that I view Morocco and its place in the world.

It would take me far too many pages to describe each protest that I witnessed outside of the parliament building or to recount each heart-to-heart conversation I held with mothers in their kitchens as they prepared the Friday afternoon couscous, but there were a few questions that Americans consistently posed about Morocco before I left, and I would like to share what I learned in regard to those subjects.

Before departing for my study abroad year, those who knew where I planned to go consistently asked me the same few questions: Will you have to wear a headscarf? Are you scared about the political situation? Is it going to be difficult for you as a woman in an Arab country?

As for the first question, my thoughts about the issue have not changed. I initially said that no, I would not be wearing a scarf because it is not mandatory in Morocco. While I was on the ground, there was absolutely no pressure to cover my hair, and furthermore, plenty of Moroccan woman themselves do not veil. The subject rarely crosses my mind unless someone else brings it up. It is interesting to me that the issue of veiling is so fascinating to westerners despite the fact that among Muslims, even for those who feel strongly one way or the other, it is an issue of secondary importance at most.

My opinions about the second of these four questions did not change significantly either. I was not afraid of the political situation in Morocco. Despite the unpredictable and, at times, volatile conditions in other parts of the Arab world, Morocco has been and remains quite stable. Yes there are frequent protests and yes there is a strong surge of activism pervading the population, particularly my university-age peers, but these new waves gave me the sense that Moroccans are gaining an interest in participation in the political system and development of constructive reforms. At no point did it appear that Moroccans were so fed up with the system that they would take to the streets in the way that their Egyptian or Syrian counterparts have.

After all, the Moroccans love their king, His Majesty Mohammed VI. And why shouldn’t they? As an educated leader who has been implementing major reforms since long before the Arab Spring (i.e. the progressive changes made to the family legal code back in 2004), it would be inaccurate to portray him as someone who is merely trying to make concessions in order to keep his people from rebellion. His track record suggests that he legitimately wants to move Morocco forward and do what will benefit his people. Moroccans do voice their complaints about corruption, unemployment, poverty, poor education, etc. but hardly anyone seems to believe that those in government are not trying to make things better.

An Islamist party (The Justice and Development Party) won a majority of the seats in parliament several months after I arrived, and life went on as normal. It may be too early to tell, but as of yet it seems that Islamists can be functional and pragmatic just like any other politicians, at least in the Moroccan context. Only time will tell if they can outperform their secular predecessors or not, which will ultimately determine their longevity on the political scene in a functioning democracy like Morocco.

Some of my initial impressions were, if not correct, at least consistent with both my experiences in Morocco and my reflections after having returned to the U.S. However, as I turn my attention to last of these three questions, I have to acknowledge that my perspective has undergone quite a bit of change.

As an Arabic and Islamic Studies major and a long-time lover of all things Middle Eastern, I feel inclined toward a positive perspective of the Arab nations and their peoples. I find Islam to be a religion of immeasurable beauty and capacity for positive influence throughout the world. The Arabic language is still every bit as enchanting to me as it was four years ago when I began learning the basics. However, it would be a disservice to that part of the world that I appreciate so much to gloss over the major flaws which exist and need attention.

When I faced the third question about women in Arab countries, I responded, “Oh, I’ll be fine. Women in the Arab nations are far more empowered than most people think,” or something to that effect. I actually do not think that I would disagree with that statement now, but I would certainly phrase it differently and add an asterisk or two.

Women in Arab nations really are more empowered than most people think. In general, my experiences indicated that Moroccan women have a large (if not the largest) say in the day-to-day decisions of the household. They enter university in higher numbers than Moroccan men, and they make up an ever-increasing portion of the work force. I know several households in which a lone matriarch ruled her domain without any male support. In contrast with the stereotypical image of a docile, subservient oriental housewife, the Moroccan woman is indeed more empowered than many Americans might think.

By contrast, it was exceedingly difficult to be a woman in Morocco. I was not fine. I faced harassment in the streets on a daily basis despite dressing more conservatively than the average Moroccan woman. Other women in my program often had even worse experiences than I did. I was fortunate enough to never have been groped, though I did not escape the cat-calling, jeering, and following by strange men.

Every woman with whom I discussed the subject affirmed what I observed, which is that it is not only teenagers who harass women. Young boys, adults, and even elderly men engage in this unacceptable behavior. It is not only the poor and unemployed but also police officers on duty and gendarmes in full uniform. Contrary to what one may expect, not only provocatively-dressed female tourists experience this harassment, but also Moroccan women, veiled women, young girls, and grandmothers.

There is a serious social problem going on, and though I cannot claim to be an expert on Moroccan gender issues after only one year there and a few university courses on the history and culture, I do have a guess as to what this is all about.

Many anthropologists and historians have discussed the idea of the “public sphere” in Morocco, and the fact that women have only really been a part of it for a few decades. Not long ago, women did not participate in Moroccan political life as they do now. They were not present in schools and in the work place in such large numbers either. Basically, the studies that we discussed in my courses all point to the fact that Moroccan men misbehave because they are just not used to having women out and about in public.

I will concede that the transformation happened rather rapidly, and that it is only natural that the culture of gender norms will struggle to keep up, but the gap needs to start closing.

The mindset of defending the honor of one’s mother, sisters, and daughters is central to the Moroccan male psyche, so the foundation for the solution to the problem is already in place. Moroccan men are more than ready to insist that others show respect for their female relatives. However, in the modern world this needs to translate to an understanding that every woman is a sister, a mother, a daughter, and that no one has the right to threaten the honor of any woman, even one without family to defend it for her.

I will never forget the wonderful months that I spent in Morocco. Nearly all of my memories are positive ones. The Moroccan hospitality and sincere warmth is unparalleled the world over. Maghribi culture is so rich and diverse that I could easily spend a career studying it without ever exhausting the wealth of knowledge that there is to uncover.

As I ease back into my life in Philadelphia, I notice the subtle changes in my behavior. After eating such fresh, natural foods for so long, I find myself seeking out farmers markets and choosing locally grown produce over imported goods. I get the urge to call my parents and siblings on a daily basis now, having seen how much the Moroccans benefit from and appreciate family time. Even my Iraqi roommate is surprised at how often I listen to Qur’anic recitations, which take me back immediately to the streets of Rabat. Every sunrise seems so hollow without the echoing adhan gently rousing me from that deep sleep that only comes when the whole city falls silent.

And so I went to Morocco and made it back and learned some new things and re-affirmed some ideas that I already believed. But I cannot claim that the ultimate value of my trip was a specific observation that I made or a particular habit that I picked up. Rather, what I gained was something especially relevant in a world of stereotypes about Arab nations and cultures. You cannot know until you go, and going is always worthwhile.
The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Morocco World News’ editorial policy
http://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2012/07/46756/living-in-morocco-dear-america-what-you-asked-and-what-i-learned-3/
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A new special "youth card" will allow poor Moroccans to benefit from a raft of opportunities. Young Moroccans will soon get easier access to a number of services, from employment to transportation, healthcare and cultural opportunities.

A new special "youth card" is part of a global approach aimed at the advancement of young people through a number of initiatives, Youth and Sports Minister Mohamed Ouzzine told Parliament on January 14th. "This gives young people what they've been asking for. It sends out a strong signal that we're thinking about young people who are looking for practical measures which will have a positive effect on their everyday lives," the minister said.

In particular, he cited the need to guarantee quality training for young people to improve their skills. "We are in the process of bringing together all the recommendations from the young people who took part in the national debate. An inter-ministerial commission is working on the matter, which covers a number of aspects such as employment, the use of foreign languages, culture and so on," Ouzzine added.

He said that the ministry had not yet set the age range for those who will receive the card, given that discussions on the matter are still on-going. "The challenge is to specify what is meant by 'youth'. There are a number of different definitions. The United Nations sets the age range at 18 to 25 years, but the Arab League puts it between 16 and 35," he said.

The on-going discussion is part of Morocco's national youth strategy.

Sociologist Siham El Ouardi said that setting up a card for young people is a major step forward in the advancement of Moroccan youth. "By receiving this card, young people with limited financial means will be better able to travel around and take advantage of the cultural and tourist services on offer. This is a good practical initiative," she said.

As for the young people themselves, some welcomed the measure while others think it is still not enough.

Hakima Cherrat, a 22-year-old secretary, is in the first camp. She said that young people in Morocco enjoyed no privileges up until now, whereas in other countries young people are a top priority. "By launching this card, they'll move from the discussion phase to concrete action. Young Moroccans really need this scheme, which will simplify their daily lives," she said.

Said Mrabi, 20-year-old student, said the card was a step in the right direction, but action should be taken in other areas "such as education and training to improve their integration into the labour market". "Steps need to be taken to help take young people out of unemployment. Politically speaking, we need to value Moroccan youth more," he added.
http://www.magharebia.com/cocoon/awi/xhtml1/en_GB/features/awi/features/2013/02/03/feature-01
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IMF gives thumbs up to Morocco's economic strategy.
Mon Feb 4, 2013 WASHINGTON Feb 4 (Reuters)

The International Monetary Fund said on Monday it had completed the first assessment of Morocco's economic program under a two-year precautionary credit line, indicating the country had met all the performance criteria of its $6.2 billion loan. Nemat Shafik, the IMF's deputy managing director, said the Moroccan authorities' economic strategy was "built appropriately on fiscal consolidation, structural reforms and prudent monetary and financial policies."

But the IMF urged the government to move forward with reforms of its subsidy and pension systems. Last month, Morocco's minister in charge of the issue said the government might start reforming its expensive system of subsidies for food and energy in June, if a political decision was taken to do so. State subsidies on food and energy shot up to 53 billion dirham ($6.25 billion) in 2012 - 15 percent of total public spending - from 48.8 billion in 2011 and 29.8 billion in 2010. 

The government has said it wants to repair its finances by reducing subsidies and shifting spending more toward the poor. Subsidy reform is politically sensitive in Morocco, where street protests erupted demanding democracy and better economic management in the wake of the Arab Spring uprisings across North Africa.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/02/04/imf-morocco-idUSL1N0B4ELP20130204
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Known for its rich history, Morocco has thrived on reinforcing its own architectural identity, which can be seen in building designs across Fa, Marrakesh, Tanja and many other Moroccan towns and cities. Morocco’s signature art products, which have travelled the world and are considered inseparable from Europe’s renaissance, are on display at its pavilion and range from mosaic and wood carving to Moroccan costumes, Moroccan tea and the world famous Argan oil.

Many visitors are curious to find out the truth behind Argan oil, which many believe gives eternal youth. Historically, Berbers women are said to have used the oil that contains anti-wrinkle properties. Produced from the kernels of the Argan Tree (Argania Spinosa), which grows only in parts of Morocco, its oil is rare and unique to Morocco. Sold by several vendors at the Moroccan Pavilion, Argan oil has been a favourite cure for hair loss, dandruff and dry skin. It is also used in Moroccan salad.

Moroccan tourist Hafisa Ilyas said that finding Argan oil and Moroccan tea in the Morocco Pavilion has made her very happy. “I use Argan oil a lot for beauty treatments. It makes my skin healthier, younger and softer.” The pavilion also has a host of mosaic and wood carved furniture with Islamic designs, coloured glass lanterns, wall accessories, tables with small leather cushions and vases.

Some hand-carved wood vases with coral, antique silver and calligraphy works measure as high as two metres. On display are the famous Moroccan costumes such as the Gallba and the Caftan that come in various colours and jacquard-like fabric. Cotton thread weaved with silk fashionably compose what is known as the ‘royal costume’ available in women’s cut as well as men’s. The traditional look is incomplete without the comfy, genuine leather hand-made Moroccan poufs. Visitors to the pavilion can also find aker fasi, a red coloured powder referred to colloquially as ‘deer’s blood’. Mixed with vaseline or henna, the powder extract from Moroccan poppy, gives a natural colour and tone to the hair, lips and cheekbones. It is also used in Moroccan baths and spas. http://www.khaleejtimes.com/kt-article-display-1.asp?xfile=data/dsfnews/2013/February/dsfnews_February1.xml&section=dsfnews
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Morocco's ruling Islamists are pushing ahead with much-needed reforms, notably of an unsustainable subsidies system and pension fund, to plug the hole in its budget, at the risk of alienating key supporters.

A year after coming to power, the moderate Justice and Development Party (PJD) of Prime Minister Abdelilah Benkirane is battling sharp inflation and deteriorating public finances. Benkirane told parliament this week that the pension system was not working, that the pension fund had dipped into the red, and that it would not be viable by the end of the decade unless drastic measures were taken.

With the number of people benefiting from the fund now outweighing contributions, the government's plan to raise the retirement age, from 60 to 67, is seen as the only way out. "I will not abandon this reform... whatever the price to be paid," Benkirane insisted.

Weighing more heavily than the problem of pensions, however, is the pressing issue of subsidy reform, described by the International Monetary Fund as "urgent" during a recent visit. The cost of subsidised fuel and staples such as bread and sugar has spiralled, lumbering the government with a bill that it simply cannot afford.

In 2012, it swallowed up 50 billion dirhams (around $6.1 billion), compared with just 4 billion dirhams in 2002, representing 20 percent of the budget and six percent of Morocco's GDP.

Current Economy Minister Nizar Baraka had said in a report as far back as 2009 that rationalising the system was "imperative, not to say urgent."

The PJD has vowed targeted handouts to compensate the more vulnerable sections of society. But the planned reforms, amid sharp price increases (inflation stands at seven percent) and a gloomy economic outlook, remain potentially explosive.

At the end of December, protests in Marrakesh against high water and electricity prices led to clashes with the security forces that left more than 50 of them wounded.

Reforming the compensation fund, which subsidises fuel and other essential goods, "is to accept a social price first, which then becomes a political price," said Baudouin Dupret, head of the Jacques Berque research centre in Rabat. "But they have no other choice, it is not tenable," added Dupret, who argued that the main question was the scope of the proposed reform.

Several models have been proposed by the governance minister, Nabil Boulif, who is in charge of the file, guided by the idea of replacing the current system with direct aid to the disadvantaged members of society.

Boulif has described this targeted aid as a "cornerstone" of the government's policy, and work in progress.

The PJD came to power on the back of a historic election victory in November 2011 pledging to tackle widespread poverty, endemic corruption and a lop-sided economy, at a time of high hopes born of the Arab Spring. But it now faces the task of pushing through painful and increasingly urgent economic reforms from which it may struggle to emerge unscathed.

Political analyst Mohammed Madani points out that, while the room for manoeuvre has narrowed, the PJD managed to "clean up" in Tangiers and Marrakesh by-elections last October, a few months after its initial fuel price hikes. By compensating for further price rises with a cheque to those who will be most affected, the government would be reaching out to its grassroots supporters, said one observer, requesting anonymity.
http://au.finance.yahoo.com/news/moroccos-ruling-islamists-target-risky-204859624.html
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Moroccans still await tangible improvements in human rights a year after the adoption of a progressive new constitution and the election of an Islamist-led parliament and government, Human Rights Watch said today in its World Report 2013……………..
Read more here: http://allafrica.com/stories/201302020417.html
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To avoid unemployment, many young Moroccans choose to enrol in vocational training. But many still cannot find a job after completing their courses.

A new report from Morocco's audit court criticised the kingdom's job training programmes for failing to find work for graduates. Morocco's Office for Vocational Training and Work Promotion (OFPPT) oversees such programmes, but now faces questions from the audit court for failing to keep track of how students are doing on the job market post-graduation.

Data tracking was out of date, auditors reported on January 23rd.

This means that establishments continue to offer training that fails to understand job trends and labour market demands at the local level, resulting in recruitment rates lower than 30%, the report said.

OFPPT chief Larbi Bencheikh rejected the court's accusations, saying that there was guaranteed follow-up for each cohort upon course completion. In his view, the inadequacy of data on the informal employment sector means that recruitment rates from job surveys are under-represented.

He acknowledged that his office's latest official numbers were last released for the 2008-09 academic year, but said that numbers for more recent years were being updated. He also said that low recruitment rates alone should not result in the removal of courses, which, more importantly, were introduced in partnership with industry.

"It is recommended that a host company is found by the placement student in person; the aim is to encourage them to develop their ability to communicate and adapt, which will favour their recruitment into work," he said.

However, sociologist Samira Kassimi said that the Office for Vocational Training and Work Promotion has a duty to forge solid partnerships with industry in order to remedy shortcomings found in their training programmes. "For example, in management courses it is essential that particular importance is given to foreign languages throughout the training. In addition, those completing courses need to be taught how to find work. Once they've obtained their diploma, many young people don't know where to start. You need more than just technical knowledge to secure a job," Kassimi told Magharebia.

One of the young Moroccans who could have benefited from language training is Jamila Touil, who spent a long time looking for work after graduation. She now has a job, but this holder of a diploma in business management took more than three years to find work. In order to get it, she had to take a French course.
http://www.magharebia.com/cocoon/awi/xhtml1/en_GB/features/awi/features/2013/02/06/feature-03
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Moroccans and the complex of speaking French
By Larbi Arbaoui Morocco World News Taroudant, February 9, 2013

This morning my landlord, an old man who spent half of his age working in the mine of Bouwazar in the southeast of Morocco, knocked at my door with a paper on his hand. Being written in French, the old man couldn’t read any word on the paper except for his name that he recognized from the script he is familiar with. The paper was not a letter from a French friend with whom he worked in the mine, but, unfortunately, a document sent from a Moroccan administration. To be clear, it was a tax bill from the Taxation and Revenue Department. Honestly, I felt pity, not for the old man who doesn’t know how to read French, but most scandalously to my country, whose official language is Arabic and Tamazight as is enshrined in the constitution, but still addresses tax payers with a language that they not only don’t understand but also reminds them, as aged people, of the hard times of colonialism.

Personally, I am not against the French language or any other foreign language on earth, but rather I advocate the teaching and learning of foreign languages. However, it seem strange to receive administrative bills, letters or any other documents written in a language that is not one of the official languages of your country. The Moroccan administrations are exercising symbolic violence on the citizens. Whether they know French or not, it remains, I believe, an act of humiliation and disrespect since they don’t address the citizens with their own language in their country.

Officially in Morocco, the French language is considered a foreign language, but once you go to a Moroccan government agency you will notice that, in fact, you are the one who is the foreigner. Everything is written in French, from documents to the door mount nameplates on the gates of offices and pavements. The personnel speak to you in French, as if your mother’s name is Jacqueline, especially those secretaries in racy dress who learned French only recently. Frankly, it is sufficient to take a tour in the streets or visit the shops of Casablanca, Rabat, Marrakech or any big city to notice how the French language is the dominant language in people’s normal conversations. Why?

Despite the oblique picture that the report of the Moroccan High Council for Education drew for student proficiency of languages in our schools, you find the majority of Moroccans borrow half of the words from the French diction when they communicate to one another. This linguistic phenomenon becomes more frequent when they are in a more formal meeting, with their loved ones or more often when they are before the lens of the camera. Some even forget that they are Moroccans and are addressing Moroccans whose languages are either Arabic or Berber.

Many people believe that French is a prestigious language which reveals high social backgrounds of the speaker. For this reason a large number of Moroccans tend to use French as a tool that can give them the desired social status and may suggest that they are belonging to the educated elite. Some linguistic studies say that girls tend to use a more formal local language and they are likely to use a foreign language in a different social environment.

In time when the foreign language, in general, should be a means to access the science, technology and everything constructive produced by those people, it is unfortunately reduced to an objective in itself. Most of those who show off their linguistic competencies in front of their peers hardly understood the culture, thought, and high human values produced by the natives of that language.

Wrong are those who believe that their discourse is elevated and that their ideas are enlightened by the linguistic support they use. What make the speech so strong are the power of ideas and the credibility of thought. With respect to the culture imbedded in every language, what counts, in the end, is the innovative ideas and human values you communicate, but never the language by which you express those thoughts. I wonder why when someone speaks French in an inappropriate place and for no reason, I manage to understand all the words but the meaning makes no sense to me.
The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Morocco World News’ editorial policy
http://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2013/02/77653/moroccans-and-the-complex-of-speaking-french/
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Civil Society in Morocco: Bridging the Gap with the State – (Part 3)
By Anna Jacobs Morocco World News Rabat, February 1, 2013

The FRIDE report on freedom of association in North Africa and the Middle East published a report on Morocco entitled, “Morocco: Negotiating change with the Makhzen.” In this report, they focus on the question of dialogue between civil society and the state, as well as the challenges in this process. They highlight two main approaches to the question of human rights advocacy, embodied by the divergent strategies pursued by OMDH and AMDH.  They describe these approaches and how they actually act as a complimentary force:

Advocates of reform adopt different approaches to deal with this reality. To some, closeness to the regime necessarily entails being absorbed by it, thus turning former dissidents into lazy, regime-faithful followers that back away from making real criticisms. To others, cooperation with the regime, or at least refraining from confronting it, is a crucial precondition for any dialogue on reform. Among civil society associations that try to lobby for reform, different approaches are being pursued. Some rely on a more partnership-based approach with the government, trying to avoid direct confrontation.

Others see themselves as a watchdog taking more confrontational positions vis-à-vis the government, in order to advocate special positions and raise public awareness. According to the former, an approach based on dialogue and cautious negotiation is more promising and pragmatic. Human rights organizations pursuing this approach (eg: OMDH) praise positive government measures, but always combine them with criticism of remaining shortcomings and challenges.

Advocates of the more confrontational approach (eg: AMDH) say the soft partnership-based approach leads to coopting, absorption and at times even instrumentalisation by the Makhzen (similar to the creeping co-opting that absorbed the former opposition parties, which first entered government in alternance with the objective of achieving change through cautious negotiations under the Makhzen’s umbrella). Observers say OMDH and AMDH approaches are more efficient when seen as complementary forces: one applies the necessary pressure, the other talks to the government. [1]

Concerning the process of lobbying for migrant’s right and migration policy Moroccan civil society actors normally address their concerns to the National Council for Human Rights, the Ministry of the Interior, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the European Commission. Furthermore, Moroccan human rights groups open up dialogue about sub-Saharan migrants within the “public sphere” through the press. For example, AMDH held a press conference after a series of violent deportations throughout the Kingdom in June. They were made aware of this through the Council of sub-Saharan migrants and other associations. Afterwards, both OMDH and AMDH condemned the violence, formally, in the francophone press. Telquel published these condemnations in the issue from June 23-29. Both of these human rights associations condemned the “racist crimes,” that occurred throughout Morocco, and especially in the areas of Tahrirt and Nador. [2] Furthermore, ABCDS typically sends its condemnations of aggressions against sub-Saharan migrants to be published in the Arab press. [3]

In terms of lobbying, some scholars argue that, however minor, some civil society actors such as AMDH, OMDH, and GADEM are involved with dialogue with the government concerning the human rights of migrants in Morocco. Giovanni Maria Semeraro argues in her master’s thesis entitled Migration effects on civil society and institutional landscape: the case of Morocco that:

These three entities represent the main means of communication of civil society and their lobbying activities represent so far the best way to foster a power shift. Smaller but still important roles are played by Cimade, which supports local CSOs and tries to promote cooperation within civil society, and organization networks, which do not operate mainly in Morocco but are the reference point of Moroccan civil society in Europe and in front of European institutions. [4]

I would also add ABCDS to this list of actors that focus on advocacy, especially for migrants in Oujda. Concerning the unofficial sub-Saharan associations, they normally lobby to, and partner with, Moroccan and European civil society actors. When sub-Saharan associations want to organize a protest, they must do this with a recognized Moroccan association. For example, on Labor Day, May 1, the Council of sub-Saharan Migrants in Morocco partnered with the labor union, Organisation democratique de travail (ODT), to organize a march about the rights of immigrant works.

Furthermore, when press conferences are held or when deportations occur, associations such as AMDH and OMDH normally work with members of both the Council and the Collective in order to access information and share their side of the story with other civil society actors, the press, and Moroccan society in general. This process of lobbying, from the sub-Saharan associations towards Moroccan associations, appears as an attempt to insert the opinions and experiences of sub-Saharan migrants into the public space. This, by itself, represents an attempt at countering negative dialogue about sub-Saharan migration in the Moroccan “public space” and thus does challenge the state’s hegemony on this issue.

[1] Kausch, Kristina, Morocco: Negotiating change with the Makhzen; Project on Freedom of Association in the Middle East and North Africa, Fundacion Para Las Relaciones Internacionales y el Dialogo Exterior (FRIDE), February 2008, P 22-23.

[2] Telquel, N- 528 in L’essentiel et l’accesoire, “crimes racists,” June 23-29, 2012 issue.

[3] Interview with Mohammed Tanbi of ABCDS, June 21, 2012 in Oujda.

[4] Giovanni Maria Semeraro, “Migration effects on civil society and institutional landscape: the case of Morocco; A study on migration related Moroccan civil society” Master’s thesis in International Development Studies at Utrecht University, August 2011, p 79.

The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect those of the Fulbright Program , Morocco World News, nor other affiliated organizations

Anna Jacobs graduated from the University of Virginia Phi Beta Kappa in 2010. She studied Foreign Affairs,Government, and French Language and Literature. She conducted research in 2009 in both Morocco and Algeria for her undergraduate thesis entitled “Sub-Saharan Migration in the Maghreb: the reality of race in Morocco and Algeria.”
To Be Continued …
http://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2013/02/77002/civil-society-in-morocco-bridging-the-gap-with-the-state-part-3/
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Known as ‘Little Switzerland’, the Moroccan town of Ifrane is high up in the Atlas Mountains. Built by the French in a European style, the town was once a summer resort for colonial families and has long been a popular winter destination for ski-lovers.

This year, the local authorities decided to hold the town’s first ever snow festival in a bid to widen the resort’s appeal and attract larger numbers of tourists.

“This festival has many objectives for the local population in the fields of tourism, culture and development. This is the first year we have done this initiative and we will see what further steps we may take for next year,” said chairman of the provincial council, Abdallah Ouhadda.

The idea of organizing a snow festival in Ifrane was first mooted two years ago, to boost tourism and promote the region’s rich Amazigh culture.

The event, which took place on Saturday (February 2), attracted thousands of visitors, both from Morocco and abroad. Alongside a colorful parade, one of the main highlights of the day was the ‘snow princess’ contest, which saw ten girls aged between 8 and 13 compete for the coveted title.

Local girl Zineb Azira, who won the prize, received her crown from Ifrane’s provincial governor. “I am very happy because by winning this title, I brought pride to Ifrane. I am very happy to win the title of snow princess,” she said.

One of the organizations behind the competition said the aim was educational. The chairman of the Toutrit - or ‘garden’ in Amazigh - Association, said organizers wanted the younger generation to be proud of their local heritage and more aware of environmental issues.

“Why a snow princess and not a snow queen? Because we wanted to play an educational role in this province for young girls and boys. The other objective of this event is to help local development in the region and also the marketing of local products,” said Abdelkader al-Achni.

Twenty kilometers away from Ifrane, the Michlifen ski resort is popular with urban dwellers who want to escape the cities and enjoy some outdoor exercise.

But as well as winter sports, Ifrane’s cool summer climate means the region continues to attract tourists all year round, as residents from cities such as Fes and Meknes seek to escape the scorching heat of the summer months.
http://english.alarabiya.net/articles/2013/02/03/264216.html
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We should teach our children to be free rather than be afraid
By Elhoussaine  Naaim Morocco World News Tnghir, Morocco, February 5 2013

Among a lot of definitions given to education, it is the process which a certain generation in a certain society transmits to new generations the values, beliefs, knowledge, and symbolic expressions to make communication possible within a society; in this sense, education is serving social and cultural functions. Education, in our society, is basically related to that old people or experts in a certain domain transmit good values, knowledge or traditions to the new generations.

This process in our society is characterized with a kind of respect or rather glorifying. People glorify the old people or the people with certain knowledge, especially in the religious domain. The new generation gives great importance to old people. On the other hand, teachers are in the same level as well as old people, we respect and glorify them. Thus these well known proverbs approve that: “I will be a slave to one who teaches me a letter” and “the teacher was about to be a prophet.” For example, the way of standing of students whenever a teacher enters the classroom is a sign of this respect. In addition, people address a man with certain knowledge by Ssi (Sir), and a woman by Lalah (Mrs.) as a sign of respect. These previous proverbs show the extent to which people in our society estimate others who are well-educated in different domains.

However, no one can deny that education is a very important process for a society to go forward, and what I already mentioned are very valuable characteristics which each Moroccan might be proud of. Yet, I’m going to tackle this issue from different and specific angles. I will highlight the way most of our experts, parents, teachers, instructors…educate (and should educate) children, students and novices, as I will illustrate the importance of the thinking process in the last paragraph.

This Parent-child and Teacher-student relation is somehow based on respect which is a very great value. But, the problem of this “respect” is that it is often based on fear and fright feeling. Educators teach their students or children to be afraid of them, or to be afraid not to do something bad. For example, parents threaten their children to beat them when they do not do the required behavior.

The Great paradox one can come across in the Moroccan education process is that, and this happened to me, sometimes parents threaten their children to take them to the teacher or school when doing bad behaviors. Therefore, the teacher or school becomes a sign of punishment to children instead of being a place or a refuge of encouragement. Also, I had been many times so much afraid of some guys who keep visiting us regularly because of my parents. For instance, in order not to be noisy or troublesome, my parents tell me that they will tell about me a person from whom I become afraid.

The problem of this process which is done anyway to educate children is leading them to do good only if there is the stimulus that makes them afraid; so that children can easily behave badly whenever that stimulus is absent. Therefore, this process will not only make a child to have different behaviors towards different people, but will teach him or her to be afraid from anything and anyone, inside home and in the society as well. A child will be taught to be subordinated and fear from, for example, parents, presidents, politicians, and so on. So that he or she will always be less-confident and will not be able to act normally within the society. When we teach someone by the fear process, we teach him or her at the same time the feeling of fear that will affect him negatively. We should teach students to be courageous and proud of their knowledge and experiences, otherwise the education process will not be as successful as educators wish.

As an alternative to education based on making students or children afraid, educators should teach students or children to be free, and help them to build their own self-confidence by themselves. Freedom here is an equivalent of responsibility. When teaching someone to be responsible, we teach him or her to be free; while giving him or her freedom to do something, we make him or her responsible for it. Therefore, the child or the student will keep doing the learnt act whether the educator is present or not. They will feel responsible for their own knowledge and behaviors. Instead of educating by ordering children or students to do something otherwise they are going to be punished, we should educate them by explaining the benefits of that behavior or knowledge.

We should never assume that our children or students do not understand well in a certain age, and that they should be made fearful in order to act in the right way. Being clear and close to students or children by making them feel responsible for their own behaviors will make them independent, free and responsible wherever they are. In society they will do what they understand and are responsible for, but if what they learnt is related to parents or teachers as signs of fear, all what they learn will not be meaningful.

The knowledge they took will be mechanical; they will use it or behave according to it only when there is the relation that relates them to parents or teachers; that’s to say the fear process relation. A student or a child says sometimes to his or her friend, “I will not be absent for the classes because I’m afraid of my father,” but when the father is away he or she will do what he or she understands and feels at  ease with. Educating our students or children to be responsible will make them feel free to choose knowledge they are interested in, behave in the way that is acceptable, and create a  conversation and a dialogue between teachers and students, or parents and children.

However, educating a child or a student to be free and responsible for his or her knowledge, educators should not emphasize the knowledge or the values they want their children to acquire. They should focus on the taking of knowledge or values process, or rather the thinking process. Children need help in how to think critically and analytically. They should not just be the consumers of the experts’ knowledge. Children should not be considered the storage of the experts’ knowledge, but should be considered the first readers, analysts, critics who will develop, analyze and criticize their knowledge. As we say in our culture “lli 3tak chi hbel ktfu bih,” bind a person with a cord he or she gives you. If someone gives you some knowledge, use the same knowledge to understand what he or she wants you to understand, and understand what you want to understand. The knowledge of an old generation will never suit one hundred percent the new generation. There will always be things to be changed and developed according to the needs of the new generation that automatically, normally, and logically will be old to the next one. So, the gap between the two generations will be permanently the zone of creating the new knowledge.

The process of thinking is much more crucial than the ready-made knowledge one takes from someone else. It is time to assist and facilitate for children the process of thinking, and emphasize the HOW not the WHAT to know. A famous proverb that says “Do not give me a fish, but teach me how to fish” is a great saying and a way that illustrates the importance of the “know-how.” yet now we should not only teach children how to do things, but we should teach them how to think and let them give their opinions even about that way “HOW” of thinking itself. A child may develop that way of thinking, create a better way of doing something, and/or create a certain valuable knowledge. Therefore, educators should not teach what students or children should know, or expect them to do, or create new knowledge in the same way they do.

Children should be responsible and free to choose how to do things, how to think, what to do, and what to know. Their ways of thinking should be independent not only from others, such as teachers and parents, but also from different backgrounds such as religious and political background. By this, a child can have an independent critical and analytical mind whose only function is to create knowledge, and to think apart from emotional, social, political, and religious backgrounds.
http://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2013/02/76973/we-should-teach-our-children-to-be-free-rather-than-be-afraid/
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Let’s take a journey to the vibrantly colored markets of Marrakech, let’s take a stroll through traditional Fez and have a culinary experience that’s like no other, let’s head to… Williams-Sonoma. Wait, what?

All month long, the gourmet culinary powerhouse is celebrating the "Flavors of Morocco" both online and in stores with a new Moroccan-inspired collection of dinnerware, tagines, glassware and serving ware, a slew of cooking classes, and a bona fide Moroccan expert, Mourad Lahlou, on hand.

The owner and chef of San Francisco’s Aziza and author of the New Moroccan cookbook, Mourad also developed a Moroccan menu of recipes for the collection that includes vegetable tagine and chicken charmoula.

To create the thorough collection, the Williams-Sonoma team visited Morocco with Mourad, going to Fez, Marrakech, Essaouira, and the Atlas Mountains to absorb the local culture and cuisine. The team met with local artisan craftsmen, visited spice stalls in the souks, and even took a cooking class from a traditional Moroccan cook, called a dada.

From now until March 14, enter on Facebook to win a similar weeklong round-trip adventure for two to Morocco. The grand prize includes a two-night stay at Palais Faraj in Fez, a two-night stay at the Four Seasons Marrakech, a private cooking class, and a one-night stay at Dar Les Cigognes boutique hotel in Marrakech.

Sounds pretty amazing, right? Set your table with Moroccan flair through Williams-Sonoma or give it a go for the real thing and enter to win!
Read more: http://www.thedailymeal.com/what-we-re-loving-williams-sonoma-s-flavors-morocco-collection#ixzz2K2vDtIAC
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Why Morocco Holds Mixed Fortunes for Investors.
Wednesday, 6 Feb 2013 By: Yousef Gamal El-Din  Casablanca, Morocco

The uprisings of the Arab World reshuffled the political landscape in North Africa, toppling dictators in Egypt, Tunisia and Libya. But Morocco is one country that has been able to resist the wave of revolutions, and holds mixed fortunes for foreign investors.

"The jury is still out as to whether Morocco can remain fully insulated from what's going on in neighboring North African countries and more recently Mali, which has increased the political and social risk of all of North Africa," Slim Feriani, CEO at Advance Emerging Capital, told CNBC.

A quick look at the local stock exchange, classified by the MSCI as an emerging market, delivers some perspective in that it has lost considerable appeal. Over the course of one year, the index fell over 20 percent and comes in as one of the worst performers from that group.

"The country suffered from being a key Arab country that did not participate in the Arab Spring. Western fund managers simplistically avoided or divested investment on the 'they could be next thesis'," Daniel Broby, Chief Investment Officer at Silk Invest, explained to CNBC.

It's a view which, Broby argues, turned out to be wrong. Earlier this week a series of developments hit the monarchy. First, as reported by Reuters, the first tranche of a $2.5 billion aid package from fellow monarchies of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) had now been dispersed. Although far from the Gulf geographically, even a membership is in the cards.

Then the IMF stated, as part of an assessment for the 24-month, $6.2 billion loan provided under the new Precautionary and Liquidity Line (PLL) last year, that the country's economic strategy was "built appropriately on fiscal consolidation, structural reforms and prudent monetary and financial policies". It did however urge the government to reform its pension and politically-risky subsidy systems. Feriani also believes there is a lot of work to do as weaker demand from the euro zone continues to weigh on exports, tourism and remittances.

"Morocco suffers from sizable and growing twin deficits. Hence, the latest news about some form of IMF help is badly needed, but won't be enough to resolve Morocco's structural problems".

The Justice and Development Party (PJD) of Prime Minister Abdelilah Benkirane, Morocco's first Islamist political power grab, has struggled to deliver on the promise of jobs for a predominately young population. Periodic protests against the status quo and the slow pace of change, although rarely in the mainstream spotlight, remain. Meanwhile, King Mohammed VI, who came to power in 1999, still exerts considerable influence in decision-making despite constitutional changes two years ago.

In October, rating agency Standard & Poor's revised Morocco's outlook to negative, indicating a downgrade was possible "if unemployment remains stubbornly high, living costs spike, or political reforms disappoint popular expectations" as there would be a "risk of sustained and large-scale unrest".

But for 2013, the IMF projects stronger economic growth of 5.5 percent, higher than any other country in the MENA region, including Qatar and Saudi Arabia. Corruption challenges aside, that is where some investors like Broby are identifying lucrative opportunities.

"Valuations are now some of the cheapest in Africa. This valuation anomaly exists across the board and we are correspondingly overweight in all sectors except mining".
http://www.cnbc.com/id/100438155
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“Watch out!”

The scooter with the hyperactive exhaust system had narrowly missed grazing my husband. Only seconds before, I’d flattened myself against a stall to escape a passing moped. Our close encounters weren’t surprising; in places, the street we were walking on was little more than a couple of yards wide…………….

Read more here: http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/travel/wandering-through-the-medinas-of morocco/2013/02/07/80bfcc36-6a5f-11e2-95b3-272d604a10a3_story.html
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Walking with Berber nomads.
By Richard Grant 09 Feb 2013

For thousands of years nomadic Moroccan Berbers have made the arduous trek from the desert to their hallowed pastures in the Atlas mountains. Joining one family on their annual migration, Richard Grant feels both exhausted and uplifted.

The nomads were on the edge of the desert, sheltering from the sun in a camel-hair tent. Their dogs barked and snarled as we approached. Camels and mules swung their heads and stared.

Men came striding out with curved daggers hanging down their backs and long Berber scarves wrapped around their heads and necks. We could see women herding black goats and white sheep in the middle distance, and the great stone folds of the Atlas Mountains behind them.

I was travelling with Alex Edwards, an unflappable Englishman who runs an offbeat safari company, specialising in visceral outdoor journeys in remote parts of Africa. Alex is 6ft 5in and he was wearing a blue Berber scarf, or cheche, turbaned around his head. I’m 6ft 3in and I had on an Australian bush hat. Both of us felt enormous and outlandish, like giants from the future walking back into the Old Testament.

'Careful of the dogs, they are not pets,’ said Khalid Oukraou, our guide and interpreter, and a cousin of this nomadic family. He picked up a stone and the dogs slunk away.

Two young men shook our hands sternly, and led us back to the patriarch Hmad Oudouhou Ali, a small, lean, leathery character with a thin moustache and a white cheche…………..

Read more here: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/africaandindianocean/morocco/9847593/Morocco-walking-with-Berber-nomads.html
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The ride of our lives on the ships of the desert.
By Rosie Millard 02 Feb 2012

It may have been scorpion-free, but a family trip to the Moroccan Sahara made for a challengingly different half-term break .

Sometimes doing things differently is just what you need on a family holiday. Forsaking modern luxuries can be a positive, bonding experience – at least that’s what I told my husband when he realised he was about to spend three nights in the desert without running water or a flushing loo.

I’d booked a week-long trip for the family to Morocco, which included two nights in Bedouin tents near the desert oasis of Ouarzazate, and a night in the middle of the Sahara desert itself. “Basic but comfortable” the blurb had it. As we arrived, at twilight, for our first night my husband had another way of expressing this: “I am rather out of my comfort zone.”

The Bedouins certainly know about camping. Our vast tent, furnished with six mats, was held up by wooden poles, and constructed from knitted goat hair. A naked light bulb revealed several rather alarming holes in the goat-hair cloth at ground level. ………..

Read more here: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/familyholidays/9057058/Morocco-The-ride-of-our-lives-on-the-ships-of-the-desert.html
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Understanding the students we teach should be society’s priority.
By Rachid Khouya Morocco World News Smara, Morocco, February 5 ,2013

My last participation in the “Obserrvatoire Nationale des Droits de l’Enfant’s” (the National Observatory of the Right of the Child) national activity under the theme of equal opportunities of access to knowledge in the Moroccan capital Rabat, under the patronage of princess Lala Meryam, taught me that we should do a lot to understand and motivate childhood and our youth and save them from delinquency.

Changing the way we view children and students should take place as soon as possible, in addition to the way we teach and evaluate them. The solutions are within our students and teachers’ chests and minds. All what politicians and policy makers need to do is to open their ears and listen to the voices of the youth and their educators.

What made Bouzinka’s event historical and successful was that the teachers who attended were chosen by their students who were members of the child’s parliament. These parliament members today work in highly respected places and are participating in the development of the country’s economy and culture as engineers, doctors, judges and economics, while others are still continuing their professional studies.

In the past, whenever there was  a conference or a meeting in Rabat, the people of the academies and the delegations of the ministry of education selected only those teachers they liked. They never sent the people who deserved to be there and who have earned such participation their work hard with their students.

This time, the club of ancient members of the child’s parliament thought about the teachers who left their great footprints on their personalities and character development. They seized that opportunity to thank their teachers for being their character builders,for impacting their behavior positively and pushing them to the shores of success and knowledge.

Another thing that all the participants enjoyed was that the students who attended this national initiative were all lowachievers. For the first time in Morocco, the whole community thinks about listening to the students who have problems in their studies.

Listening to their needs, their problems and the reasons why they do not work and study hard was so fruitful for both the organizers and the teachers. As a teacher, I found out that the problem is not always in students. Most of the time, we do not know the students we teach and we do not know about their learning styles and about what they like and dislike.

Teachers spend most of the school time teaching learners they do not know. It is not enough to know the names of the students and their faces. Teachers should schedule more time to fathom the learner’s psychology and character so as to know where to start teaching and where to put the full stop.

The teachers have cried while listening to their students talk about them. We always make students cry in front of us or in private, but we rarely see teachers crying in public. The farewell party in Bouznika was so warm and teachers didn’t control their hearts and eyes. Tears were seen falling from teachers’ eyes while saying goodbye to their students and to each other. http://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2013/02/76968/understanding-the-students-we-teach-should-be-societys-priority/
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A Middle-School Student Tells All: “What Moroccan Parents Need to Know!”
By Aicha Sadik Morocco World News Rabat, February 5, 2013

Being a teacher, I often hear the complaints of middle-school students.

Many students feel like they are subject to “the Law of the Jungle” while at school, and that these problems take up a lot of their energy, leaving some students feeling very excluded, and very depressed. I asked Rania, age 13, one of my students, if she would like to share what the life of a middle-school student feels like, as well as if she had any ideas about what she would like adults to know. Rania had plenty to say. She tells of some shocking problems, but Rania has some impressive solutions to propose to parents.

Rania Describes the Problems of Students at School :

Rania says, “When children go to school, it’s ‘kill, or be killed!’ In our country, we don’t have this idea of ‘treat others as you want to be treated.’ We instead have the idea, ‘Be mean to him before he does it to you!’ It’s just assumed that others will take advantage of you, so the idea is to take advantage of others before they can do it to you.”

It’s not easy for students to navigate all the different groups in the school, in order to avoid conflict. “There are the athletes, the smokers, the popular-girl cliques who thrive on excluding and putting others down. There are some people taking drugs, and a few people even losing their virginity,” Rania says.

“Parents think that by sending their children to school, they get education and good grades. The parents’ goal is for their children to get good grades and study hard. But this is not easy for students because they get bullied. In some cases, students are getting beat up. Some students steal from others. Many students are disrespectful both to teachers, and to other students.”

Rania feels that this behavior starts in elementary school, but that teachers are mostly able to keep children under control. However, by the time they get to middle school, this behavior becomes pervasive and there is little the teachers can do about it.

Rania says, “The only reason teachers are respected is because they have power over you to give you a grade. If another teacher is not one of your own teachers, no one will respect him or her. Students get this behavior mostly from watching older kids, and also from seeing it on TV shows. Students also watch how their parents and other adults are behaving, and watch their bad behavior. This behavior is probably just a human behavior, or human nature.”

“When there is a conflict between the student and the teacher, parents are not interested in that,” Rania explains. ”Parents agree with their children 100 percent. So it’s the family against the teacher, instead of the teacher and parent working together to improve the behavior of the student. Parents wouldn’t want to agree with the teacher; they would want only to make their child look good and polite, and respectful.” Rania continues, “Most families tell their children, ‘We’ll be on your side no matter what you do, and we’ll do everything to make sure the teacher has a good view of you.’”

Sometimes children get suspended for bad behavior. Rania asked me which I thought was more serious, as a penalty for extreme bullying or cheating: an out-of-school suspension, or an in-school suspension? I replied (speaking as a teacher and a parent) that an out-of-school suspension is far more serious, because it usually goes on your permanent record.

Tellingly, Rania replied to me, “An in-school suspension is far worse, because it makes trouble for the student. He has to spend time working, or be bored sitting in a place.  In out-of-school suspension, most parents let their children have a free day of fun, outside of school. Parents think that bullying is a stupid thing for the school to be concerned about, because they are not going to punish their son for bullying a girl, because it’s not important. What’s important to the parents is getting good grades, and that’s ALL! It’s not important HOW you get the grades—for copying, or for cheating on tests, many parents would just laugh, and make jokes. ’Oh, what have you done?’ they would laugh.  Ha-ha-ha!”

Rania says that many parents also encourage their children on the wrong paths by encouraging them to hit others back, if anyone bullies them at school. She thinks that some parents even approve of their children’s stealing phones from others. Rania says, “There are even some families where if a student steals a phone from someone at school, then sells it for money and buys another phone, then the parents will say, ‘Oh, good! You finally got the phone you want.’”

So the decent and well-behaved students are dealing with all of these problems. ”If you’re disrespectful and mean to the teachers, and laugh at other students, they say you are the ‘coolest’ girl or guy. Where did this idea come from?” Rania wonders.

Sources of these behaviors in students :

Rania thinks that one reason students are acting this way is because they are tired of hearing constantly from their parents, “You have to get good grades!  You have to be good at this!  You have to be respectful and polite!” Rania says that students get tired of this and feel pressured all the time, and that they “pop!” They explode at weaker people, or at whoever they think they can take advantage of.

Rania has some thoughts on why parents pressure their children so much about grades. “In this country, we only care about grades, because most people don’t like school (even parents); they only like money. In order to get money, they have to get the grade. They think school is like very bad work, and adults are even giving this idea to their children. School is not considered enjoyable because you cannot watch TV when you are there, you cannot play your video games, you can’t do lots of things.  Most of your free time is taken up.”

Rania says that in many religious families, students get tired of hearing constantly about what they shouldn’t do. “For example, in a religious family, your parents might say over and over, ‘Don’t drink alcohol, don’t drink alcohol.’ You get so angry and upset about people telling you what to do, that you might just go to a party and try it just to see what would happen!”

Another cause of school problems are jealousies between girls over boys, and jealousies between boys over girls. Rania says, “When you love a boy, and another girl loves the same boy, the girls bully each other through sabotage. You put trash into her bag, or tell people she smells bad, and the other girl might put ants in your food, or start rumors about you, so all this creates many problems. Sometimes boys attack each other if they love the same girl.”

I asked Rania if she thought separate schools for boys and girls would be a good idea. She replied, “If they separated girls’ and boys’ schools, then the coolest people would still be those who had opportunities to meet boys, and hang out with boys.”

Rania’s ideas about what parents should do :

I asked Rania if she had any ideas about how any of these problems could be solved, or improved, and I was quite impressed with her replies.

One of the biggest problems, Rania says, is that most children don’t really understand WHY they are going to school. Many think it’s just because “your parents sent you.” But the children don’t have a goal themselves. Rania says that parents need to understand that their children really need a dream.  Children need to understand how school can help them achieve their dreams.

“Parents need to have regular conversations with their children about why education is important, and help them to see school in a positive way. Instead of saying to children, ‘Tomorrow you have school, so you need to get busy working or sleeping early!’ they should say to their child in a happy way, ‘Tomorrow you will have a great day, and learn lots of fun and interesting things!’ This will put a positive idea about school into their child’s head,” Rania explains. “Parents should not just give children ultimatums about grades, without answering any of the questions in their minds.”

“The second thing parents need to do,” Rania says, “is to take care when their children are young, before school age, to not let them hang out in the street with the wrong people. They need to continue to be careful who their children associate with, even up through high school. People who end up at any age associating with bad people do not do well in school. And they can learn bad things like smoking, addictions, stealing, or even prostitution.”

The third thing parents need to do is to stop ignoring the problem of bullying. “Parents need to be interested in this problem. Parents need to speak to each of their children regularly, and tell them not to treat others badly, to respect others, and to control their bad feelings and emotions toward others. There are some families who do teach this to their children, but most families don’t do it. In the families where this is not taught, these are the disrespectful students.”

I think Rania has some excellent points. Parents need to help their children in having a dream; parents need to work together with teachers to help their children become decent and moral adults;  and parents need to be careful who their children associate with.

Lastly, my own advice to parents, in addition to Rania’s advice, is to remember that your children model their moral codes on parental moral codes and behavior. Remember, your children are watching you, to decide what kind of person they will be.
http://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2013/02/77054/a-middle-school-student-tells-all-what-moroccan-parents-need-to-know/
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Morocco’s Education System: Crucial areas to target for immediate reform
By Brahim Ait Hammou Morocco World News Tinghir, Morocco, February 6, 2013

There have been many reforms in our educational system from 1956 up to now. The last set of reforms should normally have given fruitful results by the end of 2010. The last ten years has seen a “give away,” not to say a waste of huge amounts of money for what is called the “emergency plan.” It was supposed to reform our educational system within the 2000- 2010 period. However, with the exception of building new schools in some rural areas and recruiting more untrained graduates, there is no real reform as had been expected by the whole nation.

Any educational reform should appear in the achievement level of the learners, and since Moroccan teachers, on the whole, still complain about the deteriorating level of most learners, then we can simply say that the reform was diverted to another direction, not to where it should go normally. Add to this that the results of the learners in standardized national/regional tests show that our learners are far away from achieving the minimum level of the targeted competencies- if any competence is targeted!

To be fair, I am not blaming the learners as many other people would do. But, we have to look at the primary areas that should be targeted by any educational reform in this country if we really want to see improvement at the level of student attainment. I don’t underestimate the huge positive impact of building schools for Moroccans in rural underprivileged areas, though again those newly established schools need to be demolished, lest some of them fall over the heads of our kids…It is obvious that our ministry officials like to talk about numbers, about the quantity of things. I have never heard anyone of them talking about quality. Have you? I might be wrong. Review the ministerial reports, and tell me please if I am wrong. I suppose that the following axes have to get prominence, and their evaluation should be on the improvement of our learners’ achievement of certain pre-specified, achievable and clear-cut competencies that have to be clearly stated by the coming official documents.

1 - Moroccan teachers should get efficient and effective training, which should be easily reflected in and evaluated by classroom practices. It’s funny to hear of training and to associate it with chickens! It’s also funny to hear people saying that they have to conduct a training session because they can’t spend a training budget on something else. This reminds me of a very rigid mechanical system in which if you divert or use something in another place or for another reason, the whole system stops! Training has to be purposeful. It has to target clear objectives that are achievable as well. How much training have you gone through under the old-fashioned term “pedagogie d’integration” or “evaluation” or “GENIE”? How much of that have you used in your classes? How much of it is felt by students? How much technology is now “Generalized” in our schools?

My view is that training has to start from basics. It’s so funny to train a teacher on how to use digital resources while he/she still lacks the essentials of teaching the basic skills. I am not against such training; yet, I think that our learners should know how to read, write and communicate first. I am not generalizing; but this variation in teacher competency has brought to my mind the idea of differentiating training. It’s ok if the ministry conducts trainings on how to use Web.2 tools for professional teachers WHO DON’T face difficulties in dealing with basic skills, not only in English but also in other areas! Do we have the internet in schools? How many multimedia classrooms do you have in your schools? How often can you access it if you have one? I think my point is clear!

2 - The second area that should be targeted is the recruitment of new teachers; I mean trained teachers. I can’t imagine an educational system that is supposed to produce / educate (choose the term you agree with) the elite, maybe the leaders of the country, and at the same time it is used as an engine that absorbs unemployed people. Education is not an area that can accept fatal errors. The errors appear immediately in the same year they are made. If you recruit an unemployed graduate to teach physics be sure that he/she will not be teaching something else, at best the physics of the 70s! What would you expect the results of the learners to be by the end of the year. I am not against employing people. That’s one of their basic rights. Nevertheless, that shouldn’t be the purpose of granting teaching jobs in schools. Please think of somewhere else for them. A place where they need no training and where the effect of a lack of training would cost no more than tearing out a paper and rewriting it.

3 - Part of the reform’s money should be directed at making school materials available for the learners. You know there is poverty! You know Moroccan parents, especially in rural areas, usually have more than two or three children in school. Think of how a father of three or four -I have seen cases of more- would afford to buy textbooks for their kids. I can’t imagine textbooks of 50 dhs (English textbooks), for math and other science subjects, the price is doubled. Forget about the quality of the textbook now; I am not speaking about that! I suppose that you all feel the plight of Moroccan families at the beginning of the school year. As a teacher, I have seen a textbook that is used for more than four or five years by different learners. Think of how it will look; forget about the exercises and the “tasks” inside!  Think about the effect of that on the learner’s achievement. They have bought large screen TVs, and maybe they will send electronic textbooks in the future.

4 - The last area I am going to speak about is the training of inspectors. I am using this term, though I have a reservation about it, simply because there are some areas in the educational system which needs inspection, instead of educational supervision. There should be enough supervisors, not for “inspecting” teachers, but for helping them with their professional development. I have seen many training programs that were conducted by some people on topics they themselves have not understood, maybe they never heard about. It’s a waste of the learners’ time to bring teachers to a training that they cannot evaluate. Evaluation requires making change if what is evaluated proves to be a failure. To evaluate training, it must be conducted by people who can assume responsibility for its success or failure. That cannot be done by a teacher because simply that’s not his/her primary job.

These are crucial areas to target for immediate reform, and building more schools should happen, not at a later stage, but at the same time. After all, what’s the use of building a school if after five or six years the learner still can’t write or read his/her name? You all correct national/regional exams and you know how our learners answer. They are not to blame; you are not either.

A teacher of English as a Foreign Language, Brahim Ait Hammou, has been teaching for ten years. He is interested in social media ,blogging and the use of ICT in education. He is is also interested in using projects in language learning.
http://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2013/02/77169/moroccos-education-system-crucial-areas-to-target-for-immediate-reform/
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When teachers teach things they do not even master
By Omar Bihmidine Morocco World News Sidi Ifni, Morocco, August 20, 2012

Many teachers teach things they do not even master. Whether we accept it or not, this is the case with a number of Morocco’s  teachers of English. Of course, some misconceptions about teachers’ mastery of their subject matter may instantly arise, such as the excuse that no one is perfect, that no one is infallible, and that teaching is learning twice by the end of the day.

In reality, these facts always hold true. Yet, it is worth bearing in mind that they are merely flimsy excuses which incompetent teachers resort to in an attempt to conceal their weaknesses. Everyone has weaknesses. But would this suffice to exonerate  teachers of English who still can‘t differentiate between the compound-complex sentence from the complex, or the stressed syllable from the unstressed syllable?

Sometimes, when I read what some Moroccan teachers of Englishi write in English, I cannot help but wonder how they will successfully impart certain language points on their students. When they put pen to paper, a number of teachers cannot, for instance, differentiate between defining clauses and non-defining ones; they cannot punctuate them correctly, either.

At first sight, making a fuss about punctuation and the like may appear trivial. But, upon contemplation, punctuation alone can tell a lot about teachers. It can, for instance, tell whether Moroccan teachers of English think in Arabic or French when they use or teach English. It can also tell whether teachers are heavily affected by interference, and therefore, this contagious defect may move to students.

How can one expect high school teachers to teach these language items in the writing skill, if they don’t master them well enough? Perhaps, one of us will intervene and say that a teacher is still learning and should not be blamed for poor mastery. But, is this convincing enough? I do not think so.

Every year, to have their salaries upgraded, teachers sit for professional competence tests. Here, many teachers have recourse to cheating for the sake of immediate success. Many of them are tested on areas of knowledge they must already master and on lessons they already teach their students.

Cheating, too, can tell us something about teachers’ school days. We must have no doubt about the fact that teachers who cheat at professional competence tests must already have had past cheating experiences as students, particularly because cheating is a habit that develops over time. If they didn’t think about upgrading their salaries at any cost, they would not cheat. It is crystal clear that the noble values of self-reliance and diligence that some teachers lack are needed to impress on their students the verge of extinction.

Are we going to say that no one is perfect just because they cheat? Is it common sense to say that we must not be critical of teachers who make the grave mistake of cheating, especially that no one is infallible? Definitely not! If these teachers really master what they teach, I am sure they will also master what they are tested on. Cheating is a sign of poor mastery of the subject matter, which is a clear sign of their poor background and incompetence.

Frankly speaking, another calamity we are facing nowadays is that the majority of teachers are passive. At a time when they need to impress on their students the fact that production is the principal criterion of excellence, we find that teachers themselves produce nothing. Logically speaking, we can never expect  to hold a revolver, fire and hit the target if the gun is not loaded.

Worse is that the minute many teachers secure their stable jobs with the government, they begin to revel in passivity. So, consistency and constant learning are absent even among teachers. It is no surprise then that students don’t learn these invaluable learning tips at a time when the teachers in question themselves don’t master them. Let us remind ourselves that inertia is contagious.

Even though pronunciation doesn’t matter as much as other areas of a language do, teachers who don’t master it well enough will negatively impact their students. While some Moroccan teachers of English say that pronunciation isn’t the key to comprehension, they forget that their role is to show students the primary rules of learning a foreign language, and pronunciation is crucial to successfully comprehending the structure of sentences.

If we happen to delve into the research Moroccan teachers do to further boost their specialty knowledge and the number of books they read, we will come across shocking cases. Just as the majority of Moroccan teachers don’t practically believe in life-long learning, students too find it challenging to master the skills. As we all know, habits and rapports are contagious.

At this point, the heart of the matter lies in the fact that a large number of Morocco’s  teachers of English still make pronunciation errors. Still worse is that students in their turn make the same mistakes. But, if you ask one of these teachers about their poor mastery of pronunciation, they will tell you that no one is perfect. Yes, no one is! But, isn’t it part of their job to teach correct and intelligible pronunciation?

Anyone can be excused for making errors for the simple reason making them is a sign of learning.  It is normal that teachers can also make errors, but we must bear in mind that their errors beget other errors, those of their students. We must not forget that our deplorable education system is partly due to the teachers who teach things they themselves do not master.

‘Immaculate’ mastery of the subject matter is an attribute of great teachers. “No one is perfect” must never be used as an excuse for teachers who are entrusted to teach true things, not errors. As the number of teachers who teach things they don’t master is on the rise, expect the increasing number of students who do not master what they are supposed to learn at their early stages.
http://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2012/08/52602/when-teachers-teach-things-they-do-not-even-master/
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