HIBAPRESS – Mohamed Manfalouti
The National Bureau of the Moroccan Union of Higher Education and Scientific Research has denounced what it described as the Ministry's lack of seriousness in fulfilling its explicit commitments stipulated in the joint statement of April 3, 2026. This comes in contrast to the Ministry's initiation of issuing organizational texts for the Higher Education Law without the participation of the Moroccan Union of Higher Education and Scientific Research in their preparation. The union demands the immediate and comprehensive implementation of all contents of the joint statement. It expressed surprise at the Ministry's failure to issue the decree amending Article Nine, which has been hindering the promotion of research professors since 2023, while it expedited the issuance of implementing decrees for Law 59.24 without presenting them to the Moroccan Union of Higher Education and Scientific Research, suggesting the Ministry's indifference to the financial interests of research professors.
The union office, through a statement "a copy of which HIBAPRESS obtained," expressed its displeasure with the failure to issue the decree to rectify the injustice against holders of French doctorates, which had been agreed upon. It registered its strong concern over the delay in generalizing the nine-year notional credit for the research professors' body and rejected the Ministry's procrastination in rectifying this injustice. The union holds the Ministry fully responsible for the rising tension within Moroccan universities due to its delay in implementing the provisions of the joint statement, warning of the repercussions of this delay on the normal functioning of the academic year.
The aforementioned union office also declared its categorical rejection and strong denunciation of the Ministry's approach of adopting a solitary policy in preparing Law No. 59.24 and issuing its organizational texts without the union's participation in drafting them, considering this approach a blow to the principle of a participatory approach. It calls for opening a serious and responsible dialogue on these texts before their adoption. It also announced its categorical rejection of facilitated training in its paid form, considering it a systematic gateway to commodifying higher education, undermining the principles of free education and equal opportunity, and a threat to the future of public universities and the credibility of national diplomas. It demands an immediate reversal of this trend and calls on research professors to boycott facilitated training programs.
In conclusion, the union office called on all research professors to rally around the Moroccan Union of Higher Education and Scientific Research, strengthen unity, and continue mobilization and vigilant struggle in defense of their rights and achievements. It also affirmed its readiness to undertake all legitimate forms of struggle to confront the Ministry's delay in fulfilling its commitments.
The union office stressed that its stance comes within the framework of its commitment to evaluate and follow up on the implementation of the provisions of the joint statement dated April 3, 2026, and the escalating tension within Moroccan universities resulting from the delay in implementing its clauses.
