Morocco currently has 7,564 private schools. These establishments welcome more than 1.2 million students, representing 15% of the country’s school population, compared to 13.8% two years ago. This was announced by Slimane Korchi, deputy director in charge of private education at the Ministry of National Education, during a day of reflection under the theme “National education: what public-private partnership for meeting the challenges of tomorrow?”, organized on Wednesday June 26 by the Federation of Private Education (FEP) in Casablanca.
Slimane Korchi also pointed out that 70% of these establishments are located on the Casablanca-Kénitra axis. According to Kamal Daissaoui, president of the FEP, this concentration is not trivial: it simply responds to market logic. Private schools, he says, seek to establish themselves where demand is high enough to ensure economic viability.
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An opinion shared by this director of a private school group: “The decision to establish itself on this axis is dictated by market analyzes which confirm the economic viability due to a high demand for private education“. He added that the metropolis is the largest city in Morocco and a major economic center. The high population density creates a strong demand for educational services, particularly private ones, which therefore attracts investments in this sector.
«The other cities on this axis are also following a similar trajectory. The growth of these areas and the improvement of their infrastructure are attracting more and more residents and businesses, stimulating the demand for private educational services. We can also note that these localities are characterized by a more or less high level of income compared to other regions of the country. Families with greater purchasing power are more likely to seek private education options, perceived to offer higher quality of education or special programs (such as bilingualism or international programs)», observed our interlocutor.
Why should we focus on an innovative PPP model?
How can we stimulate the geographic expansion of these educational establishments? According to this director, “Financial incentives, including land grants and tax exemptions, are essential to mitigate the risks associated with these investments and the start-up costs.».
This is also what Kamal Daissaoui suggested, who stressed that “To attract investors to other regions, it is crucial to offer attractive incentives, particularly regarding land. It is also necessary to put in place an incentive framework, particularly fiscal, and to introduce mechanisms, such as the education voucher, to stimulate investment in these areas. Hence the need for continued cooperation between all stakeholders, within the framework of an innovative public private partnership (PPP), supported by favorable policies and appropriate financing mechanisms.».
