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MOROCCO
With the support of its historic partner, the Azrou Center for Community Development, Pistorio Foundation
began operating in the country in 2010. The scope of the intervention was to give a second chance to school
dropouts, supporting students who came from contexts of extreme poverty.
The Non Formal Education Program offered by our project provided an alternative to children in need
who had dropped out of school and came from critical contexts and backgrounds subjected to social
discrimination, criminality, and exploitation. Our school environment and program represented a safe and
dependable haven for our beneficiaries as they changed their destinies and blossomed. For the first time,
many found a newborn hope of being able to develop and use their talents to create a better future for
themselves and their families.
PISTORIO FOUNDATION’S PRESENCE IN THE COUNTRY
MOROCCO
The Kingdom of Morocco has both Atlantic and
Mediterranean coastlines, a rocky mountain interior
and a history of independence. It has a rich culture
with a blend of Arab, Berber, European and African
influences.
Despite general economic progress reached, many
challenges still weaken the social development of
the country. In the educational system, for example,
despite new reforms, many unsolved issues still
persist. Progress is stunted due widespread poverty,
child labor, the stark differences and disparities
between rural and urban environments, and the high
gender inequality gap in education, and the high level
of drop out rates also due to these reasons.
In response to these issues, the Non-Formal
Education Program (NFEP) was implemented by the
government to diminish illiteracy while promoting
education for all. This program, in fact, provides
a flexible solution for students aged 9 to 17 years
old, who have abandoned school, helping them
subsequently to be reintegrated in the formal
education system. The NFEP program represents
a “second chance”, offered by the government,
to dropout students to be re-enrolled in the public
school system following an ad hoc curriculum that
allows students to catch up on their lost school
years and be back on track with their appropriate
school age level education. In parallel, the program
also imparts students with valuable vocational
training skills should they opt to enrol in professional
school once they complete the two year program,
particularly for the older students.
Context and Challenges
Morocco Back to School Project
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Students Ready To Start Their Evaluation Exam