Free Education is Here to Stay, Says Morocco's Higher Education Minister

The Minister of Higher Education, Scientific Research, and Innovation, Azzedine El Midaoui, stressed on Wednesday the significance of ensuri...

The Minister of Higher Education, Scientific Research, and Innovation, Azzedine El Midaoui, stressed on Wednesday the significance of ensuring open access to high-quality public services. At a press event in Rabat, he discussed recent progress in the field and the continuous successes, which are based on both a national strategy and a local perspective.

Morocco has 1,144,801 students enrolled in public universities, accounting for 87% of all higher education enrollments. This reflects a projected 3.8% growth compared to the previous academic year, resulting in over 1.31 million students in total. As per ministry predictions, 102,462 students are registered in private institutions (8%), marking a 12.5% increase from 2024–2025. Additionally, 62,637 students (5%) are studying at higher education institutions that are not linked to universities, showing a 10.3% rise from the previous year. In total, 71% of students are in open-access institutes, while 29% are in limited-access ones.

At a press conference named «The Foundations of the University of Tomorrow», Minister of Higher Education, Scientific Research, and Innovation, Azzedine El Midaoui, announced on Wednesday in Rabat that institutions have received over 338,500 new students for the 2025–2026 academic year. In public institutions, 928,195 students (81%) are enrolled in open-access programs (+2.5%), whereas 216,606 (19%) are in limited-access programs (+10.3%). Among those in open-access programs, 50% are studying law, economics, and social sciences (+2%), 26% are in arts and humanities (+3%), 12% are in sciences (+5%), and 12% are in multidisciplinary faculties (+0.4%).

Regarding personnel, Morocco has 18,726 teaching-research staff and 8,058 administrative and technical employees, along with 330 professors and 303 administrators who continued working following the 2025 policy of extending retirement ages.

Free Government-Sponsored Education: An Uncompromising Value

To enhance access to higher education, the ministry is creating a new model for university housing via public-private collaborations. This involves adding 3,962 beds to current public residences and constructing five new university cities that will provide an extra 7,500 beds.

El Midaoui emphasized that these developments necessitate an updated regulatory framework in line with international academic standards, especially through the modernization of curricula and the diversification of program pathways. When addressing concerns about the quality of education, he reaffirmed that "no one will interfere with the free nature" of public higher education.

This explanation comes after disputes regarding the implementation of fee-based courses in public universities. The minister stated that regular students are not required to pay any fees. The paid programs are primarily aimed at professionals, executives, government officials, and employees, whose timetables vary from those of typical students. These courses result in the same degrees as standard programs but involve charges to fund better services and flexible scheduling. "This does not imply that public higher education will turn into a paid system, and we are keeping a close eye on this," he emphasized.

Modernizing Educational Procedures Through Regulatory Updates

El Midaoui also emphasized reforms in line with Law 51.17, including the development of five draft laws, sixteen decrees, and seventeen orders. One of them is Bill 59.24 concerning the organization of higher education and scientific research, which is currently being reviewed.

He also highlighted the updated framework for open-access institutions and the restructuring of entities whose founding decrees have been released in the Official Bulletin. These initiatives, along with others, seek to improve the quality and availability of higher education.

The official highlighted the accomplishment of educational reform across various fields, along with revisions to the standards for bachelor's and master's programs. He mentioned that a portion of Bill 59.24 addresses scientific research and the creation of the National Strategy for Scientific Research 2026–2035.

The initiatives aim to enhance scientific infrastructure by establishing new regional branches of the Scientific and Technical Research Support Units (UATRS), thereby increasing access to research equipment for scientists across the country.