HIBAPRESS – Rabat
Amidst increasing social tension within the higher education sector, the National Union of Higher Education and University Housing Staff, under the umbrella of the Democratic Confederation of Labour, issued a statement revealing new details about the recent meeting it held with a government official. The meeting focused on the draft statute for the sector's staff and the demands in their various aspects.
According to the union, the government official explained that the final version of the law organizing higher education staff was prepared only on September 22, 2025, to be presented to the House of Representatives the following day, September 23. This tight timeframe prevented prior discussion with social partners, which the ministry acknowledged while affirming its commitment to implementing the amendments agreed upon with the union and that employees would retain their full administrative status as civil servants. Regarding the fate of the draft statute itself, the minister clarified that the text is currently under review by the Ministry of Digital Transition and Administrative Reform, in addition to the Ministry of Economy and Finance, with the aim of pushing it in the appropriate direction. He also noted that the picture will become clearer after mid-October, reflecting the ongoing discussion within government circles regarding the project's contents and its responsiveness to the aspirations of the sector's employees. Concerning one of the most prominent issues that has sparked tension within a number of university institutions, known as continuous working hours, the minister provided clarifications stating that higher education staff will be exempt from paying registration fees, denying any impact on the free education policy. However, the union reiterated its steadfast position rejecting any attempt to undermine the free education policy, which it considers one of the foundations of the public service and a guarantee of equal access to university services. On the issue of the severe shortage of human resources that university institutions suffer from, the government official indicated that the ministry has actually begun to address this issue by increasing the share of financial positions allocated to administrative and technical staff, where the transition was made from 25% to 35%, an increase of 10 percentage points. This step comes in the context of supporting the administrative structure and improving the framework within universities, with a promise to continue efforts to reduce the recorded deficit. As for the part related to trade union freedoms, especially after the escalation of protests and the recourse to strikes in a number of universities, the union announced reaching a preliminary agreement with the ministry to issue an official memorandum taking into account its proposals. There was also an agreement to withdraw inquiries addressed to some employees and stop wage deductions, which was considered a positive step to calm the atmosphere within the sector. It was also confirmed that the dialogue between the two parties would continue through upcoming rounds to address the remaining points of the demands in order to reach agreed-upon solutions that preserve the rights of employees and restore stability to the sector.
