Communiqué on the seriousness of the situation of the teaching of the Amazigh language in Morocco

Teaching of Tamazight in Morocco[/caption] Written by Meryam Demnati. Posted in Info After examination of the situation of the Amazigh language in education in the light of the news of the school year, after several complaints from teachers and associative actors from different regions of Morocco, after reading the MEN paper presented at the second regular session of the Supreme Council of Education, Training and Scientific Research on Monday and Tuesday 8 and 9 September 2014, Amazigh Observatory of Rights and Freedoms, in light of these new realities, told the public opinion that: The procedures taken recently by the Ministry of Education and implemented by its local authorities with regard to the teaching of the Amazigh language are against political and institutional commitments of the Moroccan state. This is a clear realization of discrimination and racism and cultural and linguistic regression that threaten the gains achieved during more than a decade. This is manifested through the following: -80 Budget items were awarded this year, the winners of the Amazigh language teachers in Section training centers this school year, but they were surprised to be responsible for teaching Arabic and French. Although this figure (80) is nothing compared to the thousands of posts devoted to other subjects, the ministry decided to deprive Tamazight this very small number, but not human resources to continue its generalization launched since 2003. -Stop The setting available to teachers responsible for teaching the Amazigh language and orientation towards the teaching of Arabic and French after years of exercises and training, which shows that s’ is a policy of discrimination against the official language Tamazight. Every day, we receive complaints from all regions of Morocco, several teachers who support the teaching of the Amazigh language was removed in favor of Arabic or French. -The Total denial of the Amazigh language in the documents of the ministry and its strategic plans. For example: the intervention of the Minister of Education September 9, 2014 at University College Council ignored the Amazigh language but insisted on “learning knowledge base Arabic “and” mastery of foreign languages ​​”These are the data contained in the reference document of the Ministry entitled” New School for citizens of tomorrow. ” It is clear that the work and achievements of over 12 years in the field of Amazigh as part of the agreement IRCAM / MEN is trampled and erased. Since Mr Rachid Belmokhtar took charge of the Ministry of Education, one clearly notices the lack of interest in the teaching of Amazigh. When all interviews and press conferences, he never even alludes to the situation of the Amazigh language in the education system, unlike Arabic and languages ​​étrangères.Il also ignored all requests for meetings addressed by delegations interested in teaching the Amazigh language in which the Moroccan Confederation of Associations of Teachers of the Amazigh language, unlike the former minister Mohammed Elouafa that after meeting with officials of the IRCAM and an interview with representatives of civil society had developed an important note for the operationalization and the generalization of the teaching of the Amazigh language, the introduction of teacher specializing in the Amazigh language in CRMFs, and registration of the names of schools, delegations and academies in Amazigh language alongside Arabic. What compels us to ask questions about the actions of the current Minister: are state commitments policy commitments or just simple left to the desires of responsible operations. ? The Ministry in its official document “a new school for the citizen of tomorrow” has developed a strategic vision for 2030 while neglecting and marginalizing a constitutional and institutional data at the heart of our identity, the official Amazigh language. So we have the right to ask the question: What planning for the future without taking into account the guidelines of the State, its commitments and the supreme law of the land? What is the role of the Higher Education Council if the Department of Education has already planned everything for the next twenty years? It should be noted also that civil society and specialists are not represented in this High Council of Education, Training and Scientific Research. Politicians argue us to justify all these serious regressions pending the organic law which stipulate the steps and terms. This is an attempt to save time, as this organic law shall in no part to the decline of the situation of the Amazigh language in education but it should aim its consolidation and its success as the Amazigh Today is an official language. Recall that the Ministry did not wait for the adoption of the protection of the Arabic language law mentioned in the constitution to consolidate its position, and foreign languages. We believe that the decisions taken by the Ministry of Education are irresponsible. It is here about a violation of the commitments relating to the teaching of the Amazigh language and its generalization. The teaching of this language is not an initiative or a choice of any minister or an academy director or delegate. This is a national decision in relation to the identity of the Moroccan state. Accordingly, all state institutions are obliged to respect and implement. Being sure of what is now to be against the Amazigh language in education, namely a retrogression on the gains made over several years as part of a policy launched in 2001. That this is neither more nor unless a dangerous plot that threatens social harmony and political stability of our country because it is a failure of the reconciliation project initiated by the state for a decade. This regression based on linguistic and cultural discrimination is contrary to all Morocco’s commitments both nationally and internationally, and that to promote the status of all languages, improve learning and performance while denying this privilege Amazigh, aboriginal and official language is an act that we strongly condemn. Given the alarming situation, the Amazigh Observatory of Rights calls for the mobilization of all Amazigh organizations and democratic political and civil forces to deal with any attempt to achieve fundamental Amazigh rights backed by political references and human rights enshrined in the national and international level. We demand also state the introduction of better governance of the teaching of the Amazigh language for better management and effective monitoring of all the academies, the establishment of a clear strategy to improve the situation of the Amazigh language in education and its generalization to succeed on the basis of the former acquired and its four pillars: the obligation, generalization, standardization, Tifinagh alphabet and the recruitment and initial training and continuous skilled human resources by booking new budget items while reviving jellies training sessions for years. Rabat, 20 September 2014 Meryam Demnati Office of the Amazigh Observatory for Rights and Freedoms (OADL) Rabat. Morocco. http://www.amazighnews.net/20140922993/situation-de-l-enseignement-de-la-langue-amazighe-maroc.html ]]>