Abstract
High student attrition rates at university have become one of the most challenging issues in higher education worldwide in the last five decades. Moroccan universities are no exception. At-risk students drop out of studies for a plethora of reasons, and the attrition rate is increasing despite the efforts made in education reforms carried out since 1999. This article reviews the most important components of the higher education reforms that have been adopted in Moroccan higher education in their endeavor to enhance student retention in university. These components are chronologically reviewed, first in the National Charter of Education and Training (NCET) launched in 1999, second in the Emergency Plan conducted in 2009-2012, and finally in the latest Strategic Vision of Reform 2015-2030. It is concluded that more efforts are necessary to strike a balance between quantity and quality in terms of student retention in university education.
Highlights
According to the latest report of the World Economic Forum on human capital, Morocco is ranked 98th out of 130 countries studied
In spite of the fact that progress is perceptible in terms of students’ access to university, grants, accommodation, food services, health coverage, and pedagogical architecture; most efforts made since the implementation of the higher education reforms in 1999 have been invested in increasing the quantity of institutions and the number of student enrolments
This quantitative progress is vital but it has taken over qualitative progress and has not prevented student attrition from increasing
Summary
According to the latest report of the World Economic Forum on human capital, Morocco is ranked 98th out of 130 countries studied. This review is done chronologically, based mainly on the Ministry of Higher Education’s official documents (1999-2014), and those of the Higher Council for Education (2000-2015) It describes briefly the most relevant components to student retention that were introduced in the 1999 Reform, namely the National Charter of Education and Training (NCET, 1999). It explains further the actions undertaken in the Emergency Plan (2009-2012), with a particular focus on its achievements and limitations. It highlights the most recent innovative recommendations presented by the Higher Council for Education in the new 2015-2030 Strategic Vision of Reform (CSEFRS, 2015) in terms of university student retention. The education system in general and higher education in particular have undergone profound changes
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