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1 8 | A N N U A L A C T I V I T I E S R E P O R T 2 0 1 6
MOROCCO
Context and Challenge
Education is considered as one of the key pillars of society. It contributes strongly to the development of any country
in all sectors including the economy, public health, justice system social services, etc.
In Morocco, however, education still needs to be placed by the government as a top priority of their political
agenda, both in terms of human resources as well as financial aid and investment. Since Morocco’s independence,
its educational system has faced many setbacks, and despite the various reform stages it has witnessed, none of
them has succeeded to resolve the heart of the problem and provide long lasting sustainable solutions for universal
quality education and high rates of enrollment.
One of the key steps taken to improve the existing situation is the “Non-formal Education Program” (NFEP), launched
in the country to curb illiteracy and ensuring education for all while fighting against one of the major problems of
the Moroccan educational system: high dropout rates. The NFEP is a flexible solution for student dropouts aged
from 9 to 17 years old that aims to overcome the difficulties that prevent children from going to school. Its goal is to
provide education for all and reintegrate school dropouts in the educational system. Both government and NGOs
work together to improve educational opportunities for underprivileged children in impoverished communities. The
government has created an official Non Formal Program with specific guidelines that provides a second chance
for school dropouts and the possibility of being reinserted in the Formal School system following the two year NFEP
Program. Grassroots NGOs roll out the program across the country, creating the financing framework, providing the
infrastructure and human resource support, and identifying and selecting beneficiary students. The government assists
and audits the roll out of the program and assesses its impact nationwide.
Pistorio Foundation’s Presence In The
Country
Morocco Back to School Project
Pistorio Foundation started operating in the country in 2010 with its
long-time partner the Azrou Center for Community Development.
The aim of the intervention was to initiate school dropouts to a new
educational option in line with the government curriculum. The
beneficiary children came from very poor families living in critical
conditions of extreme poverty. Most of them were out of the formal
public education system, living on the streets and mostly engaged
in criminal activities or child labor. Before attending our school, the
only future they envisaged was becoming beggars or child workers
to help their families raise money. In our school, their lives have been
transformed, they are injected with new hope, renewed self-esteem
and confidence, dreams and hopes for a better future, and new aspirations to realize and capitalize on their talent,
potential, and preferred career options. In our school, they have
found a new outlook for life.
The educational curriculum is designed for students aged
from 9 to 17 years old. While older students also receive
professional training classes such as hairstyling, tailoring,
carving and weaving, all students have access to regular
school classes such as Math, Arabic, French, Science, as
well as IT, physical education, theater, and art. Students
are also regularly taken on cultural and sports field trips to
help them broaden their horizons and form stronger bonds
amongst one another.
Drawing class
Cooking Class