Teachers are escalating their battle against the Fundamental system by gearing up for a nationwide strike set for the 24th, 25th, and 26th of this month, according to a press release by The National Education Union.
This escalation is a direct reaction to the Fundamental System, an educational reform approved by the government along with 4 education unions on September 27th.
A teacher, who spoke to MoroccoLatestNews English under the condition of anonymity, said that “the fundamental system is a complete farce and doesn’t reflect in any shape or form what we had been expecting from the Ministry of education.”
“The ministry submitted the fundamental system independently to the government for approval without completing discussions or resolving issues, all while neglecting the demands of education unions,” said the teacher with a tone of anger and disbelief in his voice.
The teacher shed light on some of the most “unfair and preposterous” aspects of this reform, describing the latter as “a sign of regression rather than progress.”
“It’s absurd to burden teachers with more tasks and responsibilities for a certificate instead of providing them with concrete monetary compensation,” said the teacher.
The teacher clarified that Article 15 of the Fundamental System mandates teachers to take on additional responsibilities beyond their usual scope, including organizing school exams, competitions, and professional competency assessments, all without any corresponding financial incentives. This also involves obligatory active participation in school activities.
“We are now required to provide educational counseling which is essentially the job of a counselor and not an educator. Not only that, but the ministry retained the power to hand out extra duties without prior consultation according to Article 67 ” the teacher said.
Among the concerns voiced by the teachers was the eagerly anticipated promotion system reform, which ultimately proved to be a letdown.
“Unfortunately, there are no changes in the promotion system. It remained the same, causing many teachers to only move up to the next rank after completing 14 years in their current echelon,” the teacher added with a hint of disappointment.
“These changes haven’t only impacted our responsibilities and promotion, but also made our working hours uncertain, left to the whims and decisions of the higher-ups,” added the teacher.
One of the major concerns highlighted by the teacher pertains to the evaluation system, which does not adhere to the criteria outlined in the Public Service Law.
“We are now to be evaluated based on whether we have completed the tasks outlined in Article 15, rather than our actual performance, which is outrageous,” the teacher explained.
“We will continue our protests and advocacy until this system is changed. Our strikes are not favorable for the ministry because they threaten the smooth progression of the academic year,” the teacher concluded.
The upcoming national strike marks a further escalation by teachers, following their street protests on October 5th, where they voiced their opposition to what they deemed an “unfair education reform.”