Head of Government Aziz Akhannouch chaired, Tuesday in Rabat, the signing ceremony of an agreement on the basic regulations for the employees of the national education sector. The government and teachers' unions have finally reached an agreement regarding the new statutory system. The agreement was signed, Tuesday in Rabat, during an online meeting chaired by Head of Government Aziz Akhannouch. The long-awaited agreement was reached after a tripartite ministerial committee, with signatories from the most represented teachers' unions, found a common ground on amendments related to the educational and financial aspects of education sector employees. The objective of these amendments is to reform the public educational system. The agreement was signed by Minister of Education Chakib Benmoussa, Minister of Economic inclusion, Small Entreprises, Employement and Skills Younes Sekkouri and Minister Delegate in charge of the Budget Fouzi Lekjaa. The signatory unions included the National Union of Education (UMT), the National Education Union (CDT), the Free Union of Education (UGTM), the National Education Union (FDT) and the National Federation for Education (FNE). A press release by the cabinet of the Head of Government stated that the agreement grants the civil servant status to all public education sector employees, subject to the requirements of the general basic system for public employment. It was also agreed to determine the weekly teaching duration for teaching staff, by decision of the governmental authority in charge of national education, after consulting the opinion of the Permanent Committee for the Renewal and Adaptation of Curricula and Programs. The agreement also included the adoption of a special system for evaluating professional performance. A system that is compatible with the specificities of the national education sector and based on measurable standards. As for raises, which were approved based on the agreement of December 10, 2023, are to be allocated to senior ranking employees, and set at 1,000 dirhams, starting from rank 3 instead of rank 5. It was also agreed to increase the supplementary compensation for distinguished professors by a net monthly amount of 500 dirhams. The same supplementary compensation for advisors in educational guidance and advisors in educational planning is set at a net monthly amount of 300 dirhams. During the signing ceremony of the agreement, the importance of committing to the implementation of the reform of the education and training system was stressed. The current agreement falls within the framework of the second round of dialogue between the government and union representatives, after the first round culminated on December 10, with the signing of a historic agreement that includes salary raises for education employees as well as resolving a number of outstanding matters concerning the sector. For the record, the December 10 agreement, provided for a net salary increase of 1,500 dh to all education sector employees, regardless of their current status. The raise will be distributed in two tranches, the first one will come into force in January 2024, and the second by January 2025.
