Preschool education in Morocco has recorded a significant improvement in access over the past decade, with enrollment rates for children aged 4 to 5 increasing from 50.2% in 2015 to 70.4% in 2025, according to data presented Thursday in Rabat.
Speaking to the press, Hicham Ait Mansour, an official at the Higher Council for Education, Training and Scientific Research (CSEFRS), said the progress is closely linked to the implementation of the Preschool Development and Generalization Program (2018–2028), which aims to expand access and improve the quality of early childhood education nationwide.
Ait Mansour highlighted that the most notable gains were recorded in rural areas, where preschool enrollment jumped from 36.3% to 75.6% over the same period, surpassing urban enrollment rates. He described this trend as a “structural shift” reflecting targeted public policies to reduce territorial disparities.
The findings are based on a comprehensive study covering 180 preschool education units across different models, including public, private, partnership-based and non-structured institutions. The study involved a target population of 871 children, 180 educators, 180 school administrators, 624 parents, and included 180 classroom observation sessions.
In terms of funding, the official noted that public spending on preschool education more than doubled between 2019 and 2025, rising from 1.13 billion dirhams to approximately 3 billion dirhams. This increase was accompanied by a gradual reorientation of spending from investment costs toward operating expenses.
Despite the progress achieved, the study underlined several persistent challenges facing the sector. These include disparities between rural and urban areas in the quality of learning environments, shortcomings in infrastructure and sanitation facilities, and the need to strengthen governance and financing mechanisms.
The report also points to ongoing territorial and social inequalities in access to and quality of preschool education, limited use of interactive teaching methods in classrooms, and the fragility of inclusion mechanisms for children with disabilities.
In addition, it highlights the heterogeneity of working conditions and professional supervision for educators, particularly in public and non-structured preschool settings, noting that these factors affect job stability and, ultimately, the quality of pedagogical practices.
According to Ait Mansour, addressing these challenges remains essential to consolidating the gains achieved so far and ensuring equitable, high-quality preschool education for all Moroccan children.
