Amazigh language teachers protest in Rabat over educational reforms

Amazigh language teachers held a national protest in Rabat in front of the Ministry of National Education, Preschool and Sports to demand reforms in the implementation of Amazigh language instruction in public schools.

The National Coordination of Amazigh Language Teachers and various educational unions are calling for an accelerated and equitable rollout of the language curriculum. Key demands include expanding instruction to middle and high school levels, providing sufficient human resources, and increasing the weekly instructional hours. Protesters also requested that the number of classes assigned to each teacher be reduced from eight to four, and that teachers be provided with necessary textbooks, didactic resources, and dedicated classrooms.

Participants criticized the current state of the program, describing its implementation as having a “distorted birth” within the educational system. They raised concerns regarding “linguistic justice,” noting a significant disparity between the time allocated to Amazigh (approximately three hours per week) compared to Arabic (twelve hours per week). Additionally, protesters criticized the lack of mandatory Amazigh instruction in private schools and its absence in preschool education, arguing these gaps hinder the constitutional right to learn the language.