ABSTRACT
At the time of its independence in 1956, Morocco had an extremely high illiteracy rate. In 1960, the rate stood at 78 per cent for males and 96 per cent for females aged 10 or older. Thus the generalization of schooling was a priority for the government, which was, at the time, led by members of the national movement. Education was to be a tool for societal modernization and national development. Education policy included other concomitant goals, such as the ‘Moroccanization’ of senior-level public servants, support for the development of social sectors (education, health, etc.) and ‘Arabization’.
