Over the last few decades, Morocco has made comprehensive reforms to its education system that have improved teaching quality, increased enrollment and retention rates, and strengthened students’ proficiency in reading and math. Yet, some students still struggle to excel after transitioning to middle school. This is especially true for marginalized learners, such as girls, children with disabilities, children living in rural areas and children who experienced learning loss due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
To help the government of Morocco increase access to quality, inclusive and equitable education for all students under its Education Vision 2030 and 2022–2026 Education Roadmap, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Morocco Bridge to Middle School Activity (Bridge) is supporting the Ministry of National Education, Preschool and Sports’ implementation of new, student-centered curriculums in 90 primary and middle schools in the Tangier-Tétouan-Al Hoceima, Béni Mellal-Khénifra and Marrakesh-Safi regions. The new curricula will support students as they transition to middle school by improving learning outcomes in Arabic, select science subjects and English. The curriculums will also integrate climate change education into teaching and learning materials and ensure that students are equipped with the critical thinking and life skills for successful adolescent development.
In these efforts, Bridge will leverage FHI 360’s expertise in positive youth development and gender and social inclusion to strengthen the Moroccan education system’s capacity to deliver high-quality instruction in primary and middle schools.
To ensure lasting change to the education system, Bridge will also enhance the performance of the ministry’s central directorates, provincial directorates and regional education academies by promoting the adoption of continuous learning, robust assessment systems, and inclusive pedagogies that use the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework.
In addition to working closely with the government of Morocco, Bridge collaborates with key local and international partners, including L’Association des Enseignants des Sciences de la Vie et de la Terre (Association of Teachers of Life and Earth Sciences, AESVT), Amideast, American Institutes for Research (AIR), and Inclusive Development Partners (IDP), to conduct the project’s activities.
