[hr-education] UN Special Rapporteur on Right to Education concludes visit to Morocco

UNITED NATIONS Press release
7 December 2006

Vernor Munoz, United Nations Special Rapporteur on the right to education,
has concluded a Mission to Morocco, which took place at the invitation of
the Government, from 27 November to 5 December 2006.

The purpose of the Mission was to consider how Morocco endeavours to
implement the right to education, the measures taken for its successful
realization and the obstacles encountered both at the national and
international levels.

During his visit the Special Rapporteur met with the Minister of Education
and high level officials of the Ministry of Education, the Minister of
Religious, Endowment and Islamic Affairs, high officials of the State
Secretariat of the Childhood, Family and Disabled Persons; high officials
of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Finance; as well as the
Ombudsman, members of the Consultative Council for Human Rights and
members of the National Observatory of the Rights of the Child as well as
with representatives of the Regional Academies for Education and Training,
in Casablanca, Marrakech and Rabat. The Special Rapporteur visited
primary, secondary and high schools in urban as well as rural areas. In
the context of his visits of schools, he had the opportunity to meet with
teachers, parents associations and to discuss with the students
themselves. The Special Rapporteur also met with United Nations
Organizations, NGOs working in the field of human rights, human rights of
women, the rights of the child as well as the rights of persons with
disabilities. The Special Rapporteur also had the opportunity to meet with
teachers' trade unions as well as with scholars and members of the Royal
Institute for the Amazigh culture. At the end of the visit, the Special
Rapporteur was able to discuss his preliminary observations with the
Minister of Education.

The Special Rapporteur acknowledged the very positive institutional and
legislative measures taken by the Kingdom of Morocco with regard to the
realization of the right to education and more generally to the protection
of human rights. The Special Rapporteur noted with appreciation the
recognition of the right to education in the Constitution, the
ratification of the Convention of the Rights of the Child and the adoption
of the National Charter for Education and Training, which besides setting
the framework of the education system in Morocco, introduces human rights
education in the curricula and recognizes human rights among the guiding
principles of the education system together with Islamic values, and the
concept of citizenship. The Special Rapporteur welcomed the recent
establishment of the High Council on Education, a consultative body on
education presided by His Majesty the King, which foresees the
participation of students and teachers among other relevant actors, as
well as the establishment of the National Observatory on the Rights of the
Child, the Consultative Council of Human Rights and the Ombudsman. The
Special Rapporteur commended the authorities for their efforts in ensuring
positive progress in the generalization of primary education, in the
combat of illiteracy and in the recognition and introduction of the
Amazigh culture and language in the curricula as well as the establishment
of the Royal Institute of the Amazigh culture.

Despite a wide range of positive steps in the realization of the right to
education, the Special Rapporteur identified the implementation of public
policies and strategies, particularly regarding education coverage and
quality, as one of the major challenges for an effective and full
realization of the right to education in the country. In his view, despite
the increase in primary school enrolment, further efforts are needed to
guarantee the continuation of the education of girls and boys alike at the
primary level, which continue to register important drop-out rates as well
as at secondary and high school levels particularly in rural areas. The
Special Rapporteur believes that the lack of secondary and high schools
infrastructure, the lack of canteens and boarding facilities coupled with
a prevailing lack of sanitation, water and electricity supply in various
rural areas have a direct negative impact in the realization of the right
to education, especially of girls. The Special Rapporteur urged the
authorities to strengthen their efforts to ensure the enrolment and
continuation of their education of the estimated 600.000 street children.
In that regard, he recommended the establishment of a data and information
collection system on street children and working children, especially
girls' domestic workers. He believed such data would assist the
authorities in the design and adoption of a comprehensive strategy and
programmes to address the issue of child labour and help ensure the right
to education of these children.  The Special Rapporteur considered,
illiteracy rate as a major challenge for the country, despite literacy
national programmes and measures so far undertaken, which in his view
needed to improve the quality of their content.

The Special Rapporteur welcomed the introduction of human rights in the
curricula and text books. However, he highlighted the importance of
ensuring that human rights are not only a teaching theme but are also
integrated in the education process as part of the school life. In that
context, he called on the authorities to continue their actions against
the use of the already prohibited corporal punishment at school.

The Special Rapporteur expressed concern about the apparent excessive
promotion by the authorities of private education vis a vis public one. He
identified some obstacles in the realization of the right to education of
children with disabilities –boys and girls alike- in their school
integration as well as in the teaching of the Amazigh language. The
Special Rapporteur recommended that budgetary measures are taken to ensure
the integration of girls and boys with all types of disabilities in the
regular school system and the improvement of the training and knowledge of
teachers regarding Amazigh language as well as human rights. He also
recommended the expansion of the ombudsman's capacities to be able to work
ex-officio.

The Special Rapporteur will present a report on his mission to the Council
on Human Rights at its forthcoming 2007 session (March 2007).





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