Today’s post is written for inclusion in the Multicultural Blogging Carnival “Schools Around The World,” hosted by The Educators’ Spin On It. Next week stop by and find out about schools all over the world. I’m focusing on schools in Morocco. We’ve just begun education our children under this system so while I can’t offer a long-term view, you can get a first hand account of our experience so far.
My kids have been in school in Morocco for two weeks now. A lot of people have asked me what school is like here and it is very different in comparison to the US education system. First, some background. Our children do not speak, read, or write Arabic or French – the primary languages that are taught here. We decided on a small private school a little way from our house. After talking with the administrators we felt confident that our boys would be taken care of and that they understood the situation. For now both boys are in a 1st grade classroom. While we were worried how this would affect M (who would be entering 4th grade in the US) we see that it is vital he understand the basics before he is put in at his grade level. The school will continually move him up grade levels throughout the year until he is with his peers.
UPDATE: The principal quickly saw that even though M lacked language skills putting him in 1st grade wasn’t going to work. He was moved to 2nd grade rather quickly.
In order to enroll in school families must register with the Education Ministry and provide paperwork that they are Moroccan residents. We are currently working to secure all of of our paperwork so we met with the local representative for the ministry who gave the green light for our kids. One thing we’ve learned is not all schools are the same. We visited another, larger, private school and were told the kids would need to sit a placement test with the education ministry and then go to public school until their Arabic and French was “good enough” to attend that school. No thanks.
There are three big differences we’ve noticed about attending school in Morocco.
1) Most people prefer private school to public schools. Under Morocco’s Family Code children are required to attend school until age 16 (though many poor children don’t attend at all). Public schools are available though the general consensus is that they are underfunded and overcrowded. In talking with some people they feel the public schools are improving however, in big cities (like Marrakech) there is still a problem with overcrowding. Private schools require a registration fee that can range from about $50 upwards of a few thousand dollars. Then there is a monthly fee for attendance. We pay about $70 a month for each of our children to attend school.
2) School Hours. Our kids are still having a hard time with this. School here begins around 8am – 12pm. The kids then go home for lunch, returning to school from 2:30-5:30. It’s a big change for everyone. It’s also meant I have to adjust my schedule and plan a lunch meal for them. It also ends up to be a lot of running around – having to drop off and pick up kids 4x a day. I can’t see a system like this ever working in the US where there are a majority of homes in which both parents work outside the home.
3) School Supplies. In the US schools provide a list of basic supplies children need; backpacks, notebooks, pens/pencils, etc. Here we received a 2 page list of everything our kids would need. Not only do they have to bring supplies all books have to be purchased as well. Because children are educated bilingually there are 2 of every book. A French and Arabic Math book, French and Arabic science book, etc. We also are asked to bring paper for the printers, notebooks (and colored covers), and a lot of other things. For the first grade materials it cost us $150. In a few months we’ll need to buy all the 2nd grade books/materials for M. $150 is a big expenditure for us, and would be for most American parents – it’s really A LOT of money for many Moroccan families. Children who attend public school are also required to purchase their text books and supplies though I’m told it’s not quite as expensive. Oh, and one other difference. We provide the list to a “supply store” that carries each school’s books. The shop owner then collects everything and packages them so there’s not nearly the same level of fun selecting materials as there is in the US.
The first day of school here is not a big deal. In fact most kids either show up late or sometimes don’t go the first day at all. I have been trying to understand this but am still drawing a blank. It was really sad for me the first day and it was the first time I’ve ever cried dropping them off to school.
Schools are very recognizable by their bright colors. They are built into neighborhoods, just like a big house. Our boys school sits next to a bakery. There’s no central air conditioning and I’m guessing there’s no central heat in the winter. Children have a “recess” in the mid-morning where they can play in the courtyard area and have a snack that they bring from home. There aren’t music classes or gym classes but I do think there are some art activities (guessing by the supplies we had to buy). Sometimes schools teach a third language (English is most popular, then Spanish). This is taught as a second language as in US schools. Children spend a few hours a week learning the basics. The core studies however are done in tandem between French and Arabic.
While private schools provide transportation most public schools do not. There are a lot of small neighborhood schools here in Marrakech, in fact there’s often several within a very small distance. In rural areas and small cities there are fewer options. In many desert and mountain communities children may have to walk several miles to get to schools that are much more dire than those in the city.
UPDATE July 2015: Our kids have been attending school for two years now. At the beginning of their second year in Moroccan school we moved them to a newly opened school a bit further from our house. The main draw was the principal was trained in the UK and speaks great English. This makes it easy for me to call her and ask about things I don’t understand or have questions about and gave the children a way to get help if they really couldn’t be understood. At the end of two years I’m happy to report M is doing excellent. He speaks fluent Arabic and understands, reads, and writes in French though is not as verbal. K is struggling a bit more. He is doing well in Arabic but a bit behind in French. We’re not too worried yet but continue to work with him. One thing we’ve learned is this process takes time. Kids are resilient and DO learn quickly but don’t expect miracles. This is a challenge for them and many times they say they wish they were back in the US where everything was just in English. But, we’re getting there!
So there’s a peek into a school in Morocco. If you’ve got more specific questions feel free to ask! Don’t forget to stop by The Educators’ Spin On It next week to see all of the posts from bloggers around the world!
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Corrie says
at 11:05 amHi Amanda,
Thank you for this post, it is exactly what I have been looking for.
You mentioned that you had to register with the ministry of education before enrolling into the schools.
What paper work is needed, and what is the process ?
Thank you
Amanda Mouttaki says
at 4:17 pmI honestly couldn’t tell you exactly and I’m guessing it may have changed – we did this almost 7 years ago now. I do remember we needed their birth certificates translated and also their school records (they also needed a stamp or signature on them as “official” documents)
Emmi Pitchford says
at 2:46 amAssalam Alaykom! I am an American and I am learning Arabic at my school. I go to a private high school that has many opportunities for kids from our school to visit other school abroad and vice versa for a couple of weeks at a time. All of the exchange schools are Catholic, like my school in the US. I am looking to have an exchange with a Muslim school from Morocco. I think it would be a great experience for my classmates as well as the girls from Morocco to seamlessly blend these religions and have empowering moments together derived from a great education. I am beginning my research and the first step is to find a school that would be willing and able to send girls to my American school. I am contacting you to see if you know of any high schools in Morocco that is all-girls and have students that have a basic understanding of English? Any recommendations of school names or email addresses of people that would know would be great to have! Shukran! I am very invested in finding a school that would participate in this exchange student program.
Amanda Mouttaki says
at 8:07 amHi! There are quite a few programs that do this you might look into something like the YES! program the US state department runs, if your school connects with them they might be able to do an exchange. Unfortunately a big problem for doing this individually is that it’s very difficult for Moroccans to get visas to study in the US. It requires proof of having a lot of money in the bank that many families don’t have. Almost all Moroccan schools are mixed gender and I’m struggling to think of any that would be girls only. Perhaps you could also consider reaching out the the American Schools in Morocco (Casablanca, Marrakech, Fez for sure have them). They’re not really American schools but run on the same US standards and all students would speak fluent English.
Muhammad says
at 10:06 amSalam Sister. My wife is Moroccan and I am American. We were living in a Gulf Arab country and now in Casablanca. We have 2 daughters we are trying to enroll in a good affordable private school in Casablanca. They are both completely fluent in English and Arabic (less in Moroccan dialect). Can you recommend good schools (not the American English schools) for my daughters ages 7 and 12? They should be going to 2nd and 7th grades respectively. Also do you know of any Quran schools in Casablanca? Thank you. Jazak Allah khair
Amanda Mouttaki says
at 10:23 amI’m really sorry but have no idea about schools in Casablanca. I don’t live there and spend very little time there. So sorry!
fatima says
at 10:39 pmsalam alaikoum.,
could you please share the contact details of the school that your children attend
many thanks,
fatima
Amanda Mouttaki says
at 6:51 pmHi – I hope you will understand but I would rather not put the name of my kids school publicly online.
ruman says
at 11:23 amSalaam, hope everything is going well for u all. Ate there Quran schools available for 4 and 6 year olds. I’m from UK and am thinking of moving over for a few years so kids can study Quran if that is available.
Jazkillah khair
Amanda Mouttaki says
at 11:37 amQuran is part of the school day in Morocco. There are extra Quran study at the mosques but it will all be in Arabic with no English support.
Jamal says
at 6:41 pmSalam we are currently in process of moving to marrakech after 15 years in houston. Kindly let me know which school you guys placed your kids at…..any recommendations are welcome. Thanks
Amanda Mouttaki says
at 6:50 pmHi – I hope you will understand but I would rather not put the name of my kids school publicly online.
Suzuki says
at 2:46 amAssalamualaikum.
I’m Japanese, and I have two sons and two daughters. They are 9〜12 years old. My family live in rural area, so it’s hard to find Muslim community. I and my wife teach our children Qur’an, but we cannot teach Arabic. My children can read Arabic, but do not understand at all. They also can understand French a little bit because we brouht them to French kingergarden.
I would like to know, is there any dormitory or homestay program for elementary school student? I’d like to bring my children to Morocco when they’re 4〜6 grade in elementary school. However, my wife and I have job, and we need to stay in Japan.
お願いします。
Amanda Mouttaki says
at 11:36 amHi – I don’t know of anything like this in Morocco for kids that young. You might look at Islamic boarding schools in the UK, I think that you may have better luck there and they do have boarding options for children that age.
Suzuki says
at 12:10 pmThank you very much indeed.
Adda Tewolde says
at 4:45 pmDear Amanda:
I very much enjoyed reading your blog and would like to ask you a few questions if I may. I work at a private high school in the US, and we teach Arabic language to our students. We are in search of a high school that we can do an exchange with. I have been looking for local high school that teaches its curriculum in Arabic. It seems what I have been able to understand so far is that in most schools, classes are taught in French and Arabic. Do you know of any high school that you can suggest for me to contact? Where looking to send our students to spend 2 weeks with the high school students, and in return we will host the students in the US. I know this is a lot to ask but I would appreciate if you can help me with this.
With much appreciation,
Adda
Amanda Mouttaki says
at 10:10 pmHi Adda, – Try contacting the Center for Language and Culture in Marrakech. They can get you in touch with a school that might be a good fit!
faty says
at 4:00 pmyou can try american schools in casablanca, they teach 3 languages english , french and arabic, there are 3 in casablanca, 1 in rabat, and 1 in marrakesh
Amanda Mouttaki says
at 11:31 amYes but they’re very expensive and they barely teach any Arabic at all. So not a great option.
Jamila says
at 11:21 pmAssalamu alaikum wr wb Amanda,
Which school do your kids go to? I am thinking of moving there too for my sons arabic and the Islamic as well.
Very interesting article of yours.
Amanda Mouttaki says
at 11:49 pmHi Jamila — please email me privately and I’m happy to let you know – I’d rather not publish publicly.
reashamor ba says
at 5:20 pmThanks for the post. I am currently trying to search for schools for my 2nd grader in casa now. How have the kids adjusted so far to school & curriculum. My daughter has lived in Senegal before and went to French/English school. What is the normal price range for reasonable private school? My budget is small & I will be working from home with my current employer part-time.
Amanda Mouttaki says
at 10:16 pmMy kids have adjusted alright. It was very hard at first but they’re getting there. Private schools can vary a lot but I’d say expect to pay about 1000 dirham a month ($100) some are a little less and some are MUCH more. If you’re in Casablanca there are a ton of options, and several English language schools too that teach Arabic and French but English is the main language.
James says
at 3:33 pmAmanda,
What a wonderful website! As an American teacher I find your insights very interesting. Also, my wife and I are planning a trip to Morocco this summer. We are both social studies teachers, and we would like to visit with a Moroccan teacher or teachers to discuss teaching and or social studies. Do you think you can recommend a teacher or teachers who might be willing to meet us. Please feel free to email me and I can give you details about our trip.
Thank you and I am looking forward to hearing from you,
James
maryanne @ mama smiles says
at 2:06 pmI definitely see a French influence here – in the school hours and the huge supply lists, besides what you mentioned on my blog. We selected our own supplies in France, but there was no choice – everything was dictated, down to notebook brand and color. I remember that we were allowed a fountain pen of our choosing, and that was a big deal!
Good luck to your children as they adjust!
soreya says
at 7:45 amHI Amanda!
Nice to read your posts!
We are a french family living in dubai who is planning to move to morroco soon…
My concern are the kids : both ( 14 years and 9 years) of them have started school here in dubai under british curiculum and we do not know how to manage the follow up…
I am lost!
Any advise that could help?
many thanks!
Amanda Mouttaki says
at 10:05 amHi Soreya – thanks for visiting! There are some schools that operate under the British system but it will depend on where in the country you live. I don’t know of any in Marrakech, but am fairly sure there are in Casablanca and Rabat. There also is a Canadian school in Rabat. Hope that gives you at least a jumping point!
Jody says
at 8:08 amI really enjoyed reading this and I look forward to an update as you and your sons have more experience with school in Morocco. I’m especially interested to hear how your older son adjusts to going through so many grade levels so quickly. He will be an expert on this particular school in no time I’m sure – with that exposure to a variety of teachers and a variety of students in such a wide age span. I think learning French and Arabic and having this exposure to the other side of your family is such a special gift you are giving your sons.
Amanda Mouttaki says
at 8:46 amHi Jody — it’s amazing how things have changed even since writing this post. I am looking forward to sharing how things progress and can only hope they both will be near grade level by the end of this school year.
Varya @ CWOV says
at 12:39 amThank you for sharing! It is very interesting to know how the school system works in Morocco. A friend of mine moved with her family almost 2 years ago to Morocco due to her husband’s job. We kinda lost touch as she isn’t big on emails. I always wondered how her kids adjusted to the new system.
Amanda Mouttaki says
at 8:38 amYou’re welcome – thanks for reading! Too bad you lost touch with your friend though 🙁
Taha says
at 12:46 amI have truly enjoyed your article, thank you Amanda!
How is it in the US that books and everything is supplied by the school? Public schools do this? And do you have to pay or is it through taxes?
It would be great if schools would buy the books and keep them and give them to children. And then they’d be passed on to other people. But, sometimes you need to write something on the book, and so each child needs a separate book and other books need to be purchased the following year. You can still use a pencil instead of a pen and have the new student erase everything, but the book will wear out real quick.
By the way, you can give the list to a “bookstore” or just ask him to give you stuff individually. You’d for instance get the books you need from the store and you can still have the selection fun at Marjane.
Thanks again, Amanda. I appreciate this article more than all the others. I truly care about education and how it changes from one country to another.
Amanda Mouttaki says
at 8:58 amHi Taha,
Yes in the US public education is funded through taxes. Children don’t normally write in text books – they are expected to last and re reused for several years. If there are workbooks they are purchased new by the school each year. Families do supply notebooks/pencils etc (it changes by school) but most areas also have programs so if you can’t afford this, they will be given to you. Many schools also have free breakfast and lunch programs for children whose families can’t afford this.
As much as I worried about the lack of selection etc my kids really didn’t care lol.
nafeesa says
at 3:03 pmHi Amanda
How exciting and refreshing to read your posts. My family and I are currently exploring Morocco at the moment with the intention of finding somewhere to settle with our children. For quran and arabic. They are 10,9 & 4 years old. As we know no one here we are struggling with where to go, what to do etc and can only do the tourist things. We are really lost and hace hit a deadend here in Morocco. Any Advise please?
Amanda Mouttaki says
at 6:54 pmMy best advice would be to find a city that you think you may like a stay there a week or so. Do what local people do. Figure out groceries, how to get around etc. School and things like that will be impossible to do now until the school year starts on 5 September as everyone is still on holidays.
Sue says
at 9:33 pmHi, I hope you don’t mind me asking, why as an American would you want your children to grow up in Morocco and learn Arabic and French? Is it something to do with your husbands religion, like a religious migration or something, like Jews go to live in Palestine? Or is it because he prefers Morocco?
I don’t mean to sound close minded, it’s just that I’m very intrigued why Western women would want to do such a thing, what does your family think?
Thanks.
Amanda Mouttaki says
at 8:51 amHi Sue,
I’ve thought a little bit on your questions here because initially I had a very negative reaction (for the sake of honesty here!) My husband and I are Muslim, and yes our kids are too. We chose to move to Morocco for several reasons but the most important is that they learn Arabic and French so that they can communicate with my husband’s family. We have been blessed to live near family in the US where our children have been able to form strong bonds with my family. However, they can not even have a basic conversation with their other half of the family. I feel that by them not having this we are depriving them of very important relationships. Our move to Morocco was my desire to give my children this opportunity. When I married my husband we both knew that we would each make sacrifices at different times, and that essentially no matter where we lived, one of us would always be “away from home.” So for almost 10 years we lived in the US, and now it’s time to try things here.
We also were able to make the move at this time which is not always easy/possible. Sure there are things I like about the US but it’s not the be all end all. I love traveling, exploring other cultures, and exposing my kids to the world. So I guess my question back is why not? Why wouldn’t I want to move here? Thank you for asking – I actually think I’m going to write a longer more in depth post on the subject. Oh, and as for my family – sure they miss us but the internet is great so we can video chat. They’re also very excited to come visit us in coming months. I think they too knew one day this move would happen so they weren’t totally surprised.
Ashley Michaels says
at 7:49 amI loved reading this post and response, so helpful. My husband and I are expecting our first child in three months and I’m already thinking about schools because of the unique situation. My husband is Moroccan and I’m American and we live in Agadir now but plan to go back to the US to be near my family after baby is born. We’re leaning towards living in Morocco for at least their primary education so our child can benefit from immersion in French and Arabic early on for many great reasons but for me too I want that they have a healthy relationship with both of our families. After reading your post though I wonder if you have any advice for preparing ahead of time?? You said they started a bit behind, though it sounds like they caught up quickly. Fantastic! Also, did you opt for a quranic education? I, myself am not Muslim though I see the benefits of the kids being educated in Classic Arabic, I’m assuming the Arabic taught in schools is Darija but I’m not sure. Any help would be so appreciated. Also, we’re looking at moving to Marrakech as well if you have any recs on school names. Thank you for any help. I wish health and happiness for both you and your family!! Best, Ashley
Amanda Mouttaki says
at 8:54 amHi – I’ll try to answer the questions I can here. I think the best advice is for your husband to use only Arabic with your child from the beginning. It will be really hard but my husband regrets not doing this. That will help a lot. I also think starting at the beginning is important so by the time they are 4 having them in Moroccan school. You could certainly do it later but it will be harder. All Moroccan schools (public and private) have a religious component but we don’t do anything beyond that. Classical Arabic is what is taught in schools, darija is only the language of the street. Teachers may use it to explain things in school but it is not what is in the textbooks. There are many decent school options in Marrakech, I would say once you decide which area you want to live in to start looking at the schools in that area. It’s a bit of trial and error. Good luck with your delivery!
helena says
at 4:57 pmWhy didn’t you try the american School of Marrakech?
Amanda Mouttaki says
at 5:33 pmThe American school is about $15000 a year for each child which is way more than I would pay for elementary school. And, we came here for our kids to learn Arabic and French – there these are not the instruction languages.
Carlota says
at 2:54 pmHi Amanda,
I read that you you were going to live in Marrakech and did not know what school elegir.Veo which shall bear one year out there. Care to give me an opinion because we moved there (Marrakech) for the next academic year, my daughter will have 12 years and do not know what to choose, he chose the American school but do not know how many there where elegir.Mi daughter does not speak any French nor Arabic and English which gives at school.
thank you very much
Carlota
Amanda Mouttaki says
at 12:35 pmHi, yes we live in Marrakech. The school you choose depends on what you want. We wanted our kids to learn Arabic most of all, so we put them in a local private school. The American school is all English with some French and Arabic and will be easiest. If you can afford it, it’s a good option. You also may want to look at Victor Hugo though your daughters age will make it a little difficult in any school that’s not English based.
Kris says
at 8:51 pmI also do not understand the start of the school year and that they do nothing for the first couple of days. My daughter went for her first half day and said it was the most boring day of her life. Her first full day is tomorrow and I plan to send some small reading books for her so she can do something. I also thought the school supply thing was a letdown and fairly expensive. I really hope she doesn’t hate school, but once they start learning I hope it will be better.
Hope your kids are adjusting well!
sugar says
at 9:31 pmWow!, The cost is 150,000? Does that translate to 15 (thous.) American$?
Also, is there ANY Elementary or Jr High Schools in Marrakesh that are teaching SOME classes in English that cost maybe $125 wkly(which is translated to be 1,250 drm. If ANY1 has children in the Marroco School System, could you please type & let us all know if the schools are even worth it. Are your kids happy with the school supplies & do they understand anybody very well?
Amanda Mouttaki says
at 4:35 pmYes that’s roughly the cost. Almost every private school in Morocco teaches some level of English. My kids in elementary school have 30-45 minutes a week. Older grades have more and different schools include it more. My kids finished their first year and they now understand what is going on. The first six months were hard. We thought a year would be all we would stay but have decided we’ll stay longer so that they have a firm grip on the languages.
Carissa says
at 3:59 pmI want to add a few points about the schools. They do go on at least two field trips a year, at least in the two schools my children attended. They do provide “sport” activities on the weekends and I know that my husband (who is 35 years old and attended Moroccan public school his entire life) participated in theater and play productions when he was in high school. My daughter also had a computer class in the first grade. Overall I was very pleased with the schooling and the extra activities they provided.
Jeanna Umm Aaminah says
at 3:08 pmSalaam sis and glad to hear the boys are getting somewhat settled in their new school. Transition and change is always difficult and with the language barrier I am sure that places an added concern.
However children are sooo resilient, mA, and it will be such an enriching and rewarding experience for them iA. 🙂 Looking forward to more posts!