Benmoussa clarifies the controversy over the inclusion of “homosexuality” in school curricula

The Minister of National Education, Preschool Education and Youth, Shakib Benmoussa, has taken a stand in the debate that has erupted around the adoption by foreign educational institutions in Morocco of programs encouraging “homosexuality” and inciting against the territorial unity of the kingdom.

In this context, during his participation in a press conference organized this Tuesday, September 5, to present the developments of the 2023-2024 school year, the Minister stressed that Morocco has clear laws and values ​​that must be preserved, even by foreign institutions.

Benmoussa also clarified that his ministry had increased vigilance and called for a regular approach from academies to ensure that all foreign institutions respect national teachings. He stressed that “the problem does not concern the main subjects of these institutions, because they are approved by the ministry in charge, but it concerns the complementary textbooks sometimes imposed”.

Regarding the allegations regarding the sale of textbooks by some private schools within their premises, Benmoussa revealed that a contract would be established to define the relationship between families and private educational institutions, so that that no institution can force families to buy textbooks from them.

The same speaker affirmed that the upcoming contract will guarantee a transparent and clear relationship between the families and the institutions, including the rights and duties of each party.

Regarding the “hot” entry into office of administrative executives during this season, the Minister of National Education explained that the requests presented by this category were largely integrated into the basic unified system which should be published. later.

He added that “the deductions complained about by the administrative cadres have ceased since July”, but that “some claims remain outstanding pending the publication of the ministry’s unified basic system”. He also noted that the latter “may not address all the issues raised due to several constraints”.

Benmoussa rejected that the strike measures previously announced by the administrative executives are linked to the strike, adding that “it is about a group of executives carrying a certain number of demands”.

It is worth mentioning the tripartite coordination of associations of administrative executives of national education who had declared a boycott and protests against the Minister of National Education, Shakib Benmoussa, during the new school year. This concerns the National Association of Principals of Primary Education in Morocco, the National Association of Principals of Public High Schools in Morocco and the National Association of General Supervisors, Inspectors and Directors of Studies.

The union coordination threatened the Ministry of National Education with a “hot start to school” in response to its silence on the demands contained in its press release of July 30, 2023, in particular the recovery of the amounts deducted from the salaries and salaries of executives. administrators, as well as the failure to set a specific date for the elective promotions for the years 2021 and 2022, and the compensation for the damage suffered by the education administrators due to the designation resulting from the new proposal of the basic system, in the total absence of motivation and encouragement as an evaluative value of the nature of the tasks and the heaviness of the responsibilities.