Marrakech's Educational System at a Crossroads
The educational framework in Marrakech is currently on the brink of a genuine crisis, as educators and support staff have signaled their intention to boycott all upcoming exams and professional assessments. This alarming development stems from widespread discontent among educational workers in the region, who are expressing their frustrations over what they perceive as systematic and unjustified delays in the payment of their long-overdue financial entitlements. As a result, the educational environment in the Marrakech-Safi region is descending into an unprecedented phase of protest escalation, jeopardizing the fate of regional and national examinations just weeks before they are set to commence.
Financial Struggles and Administrative Issues
In this context, the National Coordination of Contracted Teachers and Support Staff within the Marrakech Directorate revealed the details of a severe financial crisis affecting educators during their regional assembly held in mid-May 2026. According to the union report, the delays have evolved from a mere episodic setback into a persistent administrative behavior, impacting the compensation for supervision and correction associated with the 2024 examinations, which has faced nearly two years of freezing. Additionally, family allowances have been withheld for extended periods.
Even more alarming is the fact that teachers have been waiting nearly nine full years for payments related to their residence in zone A within the Marrakech Directorate, prompting protesters to issue a final warning to the administration to disburse these entitlements immediately, ideally by the next week before the Eid al-Adha holiday. They have threatened to pursue all available legal and escalation avenues should the situation remain unresolved.
The underlying causes of this educational turmoil extend beyond financial concerns; they also encompass administrative behaviors that have been described as "demeaning" within the offices of the academy and the regional directorate. Educators have condemned the significant decline in the quality of service provided to teaching staff, denouncing the emergence of "unethical and reckless practices" from certain administrative officials, particularly targeting divorced female teachers. These transgressions have been documented through complaints supported by compelling evidence prepared for potential administrative and judicial accountability.
While teachers commend the presence of competent and honorable employees within the administration who strive for respectful engagement, they have strongly criticized the breaches of conduct by others, which have only served to deepen the rift of trust between educational staff and the overseeing administration. Faced with this managerial impasse, educators in Marrakech are determined to establish a new equation to put an end to what they have termed a "farce," insisting on the institutionalization of compensation through a clear decree that encompasses all local and professional entitlements as well as recruitment examinations. They demand that these compensations be disbursed automatically alongside the relevant monthly salary upon the completion of designated tasks, grounded in the principle of "pay for work" and firmly rejecting any form of unpaid labor.
As reported by nichan.ma.
