Primary and secondary education

Primary education (enseignement primaire) in Morocco lasts 6 years. Primary education is compulsory for all children between the ages of 6 and 12. They conclude this phase with the Certificat d’Études Primaires (CEP)/ شهادة الدراسات الإبتدائية.

Pursuant to a new law adopted in 2019, the loi-cadre 51.17, pre-school education (2 years) will become part of primary education in a few years time.

Secondary education (enseignement secondaire) lasts 6 years. It is divided into 2 phases, each lasting 3 years:

• lower secondary education (le cycle secondaire collégial), concluded with exams for a Brevet d’Enseignement Collégial (BEC);
• upper secondary education (le cycle secondaire qualifiant), concluded with exams for:
  • an Attestation du Baccalauréat if students choose the general education cluster (général);
  • a Baccalauréat d’enseignement technologique et professionnel. if students choose the general and vocational education cluster (technologique et professionel).

Students who choose the general education cluster (général) in upper secondary education, conclude it with exams for an Attestation du Baccalauréat.

• Duration i : 3 years.
• Content: in the 1st year, students follow a common curriculum (tronc commun). After the first year, students take subjects that are part of the programme of study of the général subject cluster. They can choose one of the following programmes of study: lettres (languages) or sciences. As part of the languages programme of study, students specialise in:
  • lettres modernes (modern languages); or
  • lettres originelles (classical languages).

As part of the sciences programme of study, students choose 1 of the following 3 specialisations:

• sciences expérimentales (natural sciences);
• sciences mathématiques (mathematics);
• sciences originelles (a classical variant with a specific focus on the Arabic language and Islamic sciences).
• Admission requirements: a Brevet d’Enseignement Collégial (BEC), the lower secondary education diploma.
• Function of the diploma: access to higher education.
• Diploma: Attestation du Baccalauréat/ شهادة البكالوريا.

Please note: 'at least a HAVO diploma' means that the diploma has a higher level than a HAVO diploma, but a lower level than a VWO i diploma. The level of the diploma lies between a HAVO diploma and a VWO diploma.

Students who choose the technologique et professionnel cluster in upper secondary education, conclude it with exams for a Baccalauréat d'Enseignement Technologique et Professionnel (BETP).

• Duration: 3 years.
• Content: in the 1st year, students follow a common curriculum (tronc commun). After the first year, students take subjects that are part of the programme of study of the technologique et professionnel cluster. They choose one of the following programmes of study:
  • génie civil (engineering);
  • génie chimique (chemical engineering);
  • génie électrique (electrical engineering);
  • génie mécanique (mechanical engineering);
  • sciences agronomiques (agricultural sciences);
  • sciences économiques (economics/business administration).
    For the most part, these 6 programmes of study cover general education subjects like mathematics, modern languages and subjects related to the chosen programme, such as physics (technical programmes of study), chemistry (chemical programmes of study), biology (agricultural programmes of study) and geography or history (economic programmes of study). Various specialisations are available within each programme of study. A third of all teaching for the technologique et professionnel subject cluster is practically oriented.
• Admission requirements: a Brevet d’Enseignement Collégial (BEC), the lower secondary education diploma.
• Function of the diploma: access to higher education.
• Diploma: Baccalauréat d'Enseignement Technologique et Professionnel.