Prime Minister Stephen Harper announces further Canadian Support for Morocco’s Education System

January 27, 2011

RABAT, MOROCCO - Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced today that Canada is providing further support for education reforms in Morocco through new development projects aimed at improving basic education standards and ensuring young people have the skills and knowledge necessary to secure jobs.

“Canada values its long-standing relationship with Morocco and is proud to support the country’s efforts to modernize its education system and strengthen its economy,” said Prime Minister Harper.  “The support announced today will increase the opportunities for young people to participate in Morocco’s growing economy.”

The new funding will support two education reform projects aligned with the Government of Morocco’s National Human Development Initiative.

Canada’s support for the School Management in Morocco project will improve the quality of basic education for boys and girls by training 9,000 school principals in effective ways to make schools more responsive and accountable to local needs.

In addition, Canada’s contribution to the Competency-Based Approach in Education project will support efforts to make Morocco’s skills-training programs more responsive to employer needs.  The objective is to increase the employment rate of graduates to 75 per cent from the current 55 per cent.

Canada’s support will secure a better future for Morocco’s children and youth and strengthen sustainable economic growth in the country.



Backgrounder

CANADIAN DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE IN MOROCCO


Canada has announced funding to support two key education projects in Morocco, including $12.2 million for the Support for School Management in Morocco project and $11.5 million for the Competency-Based Approach in Education project.  Both projects are set for the 2011 - 2014 timeframe.

Canada has had a development program in Morocco since 1963.  The program is aligned with Morocco’s national human development initiative, which identifies education sector reform as a priority.  Canada, through the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), is supporting Morocco’s efforts to create opportunities for children and youth through education reform and adapting the education system to the needs of the modern economy.
In 2008-2009, Canada contributed $10.68 million in development assistance to Morocco. Approximately $763,000 of this support was provided to key multilateral partners, such as the World Bank and the African Development Bank for their activities in this area. 
Canada’s primary contribution is towards helping the Government of Morocco reform the basic education system, while developing training using a skills-based approach.  The goal is to make young people more employable, while also contributing to Morocco’s growing economy.

1.                 Key education projects:

• The Support for School Management in Morocco project aims to improve the quality of basic education for Moroccan girls and boys so they can contribute to the knowledge-based economy.  To achieve this goal, the project will help deliver training to improve the management skills of school principals.  This will also help advance reforms to give girls greater access to education, and to improve the representation of women in decision-making positions in the education system.
  CIDA Contribution: $12.2 million
  Duration: 2011-2014
  
  
• The Competency-Based Approach in Education project will strengthen the vocational training component of Morocco’s national education reform initiative to ensure that job skills match employer needs. Canadian technical assistance will be provided to Morocco’s Ministry of Employment and Vocational Training and other stakeholders to help better manage vocational training centres, mainly through the implementation of a competency-based approach in which student progress is based on the attainment of specific standards.

CIDA Contribution: $11.5 million
Duration: 2011-2015


2.         Other programs/projects:

Canadian development programming in Morocco also supports administrative reforms to the national, regional, and local governments to promote democracy, the rule of law, and equality between women and men.

• The Local Governance in Morocco project aims to provide regional and local governments in Morocco with the tools to plan and deliver key public services, including education and health care. With these tools local governments can also be more responsive and accountable through the participation of citizens in the decision-making process. The project is also focussed on improving relations among citizens, government, and elected representatives. The implementing partners are CRC Sogema Inc. of Longueil, Quebec and Cowater International Inc. of Ottawa.

CIDA Contribution: $13 million
Duration: 2005-2011

Canada also supports Morocco through the Canadian International Development Agency’s (CIDA) regionally focussed programs and projects.

• CIDA’s Broader Middle East and North Africa Regional Program is part of a 2004 G-8 initiative.  Canada pledged to fund up to C$50 million.  Since 2004, C$39 million has been committed to projects implemented by partners, including the International Labour Organization, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the World Bank (International Finance Corporation), and the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES).  The remainder of the fund will be allocated over the next two years.
• The Mediterranean Wetlands Capacity Building project is providing civil society groups with the tools they need to work with the Moroccan government on the management of wetlands. The project aims to ensure that the views of the people using wetland resources are taken into account when government decisions affecting wetlands are made.
  CIDA Contribution: $2 million
  Duration: 2007 – 2012
  
  

3.         Key multilateral partners:

Canada supports Morocco by contributing core funding to key multilateral partners, including:

• The World Bank Group, with an emphasis on a strategy to help Morocco meet its key development challenges, notably to accelerate employment-generation and sustainable economic growth, and to reduce poverty and marginalization.  The strategy focuses on four objectives: improve competitiveness and the investment climate; increase access to basic services by poor and marginalized groups; improve the efficiency of the education system; and improve water management and access to water services and sanitation.
• The African Development Bank, with an emphasis on public administration efficiency, the strengthening of governance, the upgrading of economic and social infrastructure, and private sector development.
• The United Nations Development Programme, with an emphasis on Morocco’s national human development initiative which promotes: capacity strengthening for democratic governance; the reduction of poverty and social exclusion; and energy and sustainable development. The promotion of human rights and gender equality are an integral part of these efforts.

For further information on Canada’s development projects in Morocco visit the Canadian International Development Agency’s Project Browser <http://www.acdi-cida.gc.ca/cidaweb/cpo.nsf/fWebCSAZEn?ReadForm&idx=01&CC=MA> .