Morocco boosts teacher pay ahead of planned protests

Morocco’s Education Ministry announced the first phase of a pay hike for teachers on Tuesday. The increase amounts to an extra $73 a month to be included in April salaries. 

The salary hike stems from agreements between the government and teachers’ unions in December of last year. These agreements entail an increase in education personnel salaries, totaling a monthly raise of $149 to be disbursed in two phases. The second installment is set to begin in January next year. 

The increase comes just days before a planned protest. Teachers’ unions and associations have called for a nationwide demonstration on April 22 to express their long-standing grievances against the Ministry of Education, which include alleged arbitrary suspensions and injustices.

At the start of the 2023-24 school year, teachers initiated a strike in opposition to the controversial "New Basic System," citing worries about heightened work demands without corresponding compensation. 

After months of demonstrations, the government and teachers’ unions brokered a deal to temporarily halt the reform. The agreement entails revisiting specific elements of the system and addressing the unions' apprehensions. 

With the ministry's commitment to the salary increase, the outcome of the planned protests remains uncertain.