Amazigh Language in Education Policy and Planning in Morocco: Effects of the Gap between Macro and Micro Levels of Planning

Abstract

It has been almost two decades now since the Amazigh language has been integrated in the Moroccan education system. Morocco decided, after the King Mohammed the sixth famous speech in Ajdir in 2001, to make Amazigh language officially taught in Moroccan schools. Amazigh language started as a school subject in 317 primary schools in 2003, with the hope of covering all the Moroccan schools in 2010. However, the reality nowadays is completely the opposite. Even after another decade Amazigh language covers only 5% of Moroccan schools. This state of fact shows that there is a wide gap between official discourse at the macro level about the Amazigh educational policy and the implementation of this policy at the micro level. The objective of this paper is to investigate the manifestations and effects of the gap between macro and micro levels of language policy and planning concerning Amazigh language in Moroccan education system. The central questions that this paper is trying to answer are the following: i) how is the gap between macro and micro levels of language policy manifested in the Amazigh education policy? ii) How does this gap affect the status of the Amazigh language in Moroccan primary schools? To achieve the focal objective and answer the central questions of this paper, first we will analyze the vision of the policymakers at the macro level to enact the full integration of the Amazigh language in Moroccan schools. Second, to tackle the implementation part of the Amazigh education policy at the micro level, a questionnaire is addressed to Amazigh language teachers at primary schools. The focus of the questionnaire is twofold: a) have a clear image of the situation of Amazigh language at the micro level. b) Derive the challenges that hamper the implementation of the macro level policies at the micro level.