The digital transformation of education cannot rely solely on public action; it requires "collective mobilization," involving startups, tech companies, researchers, universities, and investors, Minister Delegate for Digital Transition and Administrative Reform, Amal El Fallah Seghrouchni, emphasized on Monday in Paris.
"However, bringing these actors together around a shared vision, aligned with national priorities, presents several challenges," Seghrouchni said during a panel on "Digital Transformation and Education" at the Fifth Annual Meeting of the Global Education Coalition at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris.
According to the Minister, the first challenge is "strategic alignment." "Market dynamics, business models, and innovation rhythms do not always coincide with the pedagogical needs of public services," she pointed out.
The second challenge, she maintained, lies in the ability to integrate the contributions of non-state actors – researchers, startups, and tech companies – into the country’s educational guidelines. "It becomes essential to create frameworks that allow private innovation and academic research to effectively address on-the-ground challenges," she emphasized.
In this context, three complementary initiatives have been launched: the national network of "JAZARI" institutes dedicated to AI, designed as sustainable bridges between academia and the digital innovation ecosystem; the Ministry of National Education’s "Digital Lab"; and the inclusive and professional "YouCode" coding schools, she said.
Achieving the digital vision for education also relies on "close collaboration" among various public institutions, according to Seghrouchni. "It is this collective approach that allows us to make concrete progress toward a Moroccan public education system fully embedded in the digital age," she stated.
In this regard, the Minister also reminded that education plays a central role in Morocco’s national digital transformation strategy, noting that it is identified as "one of the priority sectors" within the framework of Digital Morocco 2030, which aims to modernize public services, stimulate the digital economy, and strengthen the country's technological sovereignty.
Investment in the educational sector is "a clear priority," she stated, recalling that Morocco has launched several major initiatives, including the creation of more than 140 specialized digital technology programs within higher education institutions and the JobInTech program, which aims to train 15,000 young people in digital professions by 2026.
On the operational front, she pointed out that the education system has already begun its digital transformation, citing the example of the MASSAR platform, now widely implemented, which manages the educational journeys of 12 million students, tracks assessments, automates administrative services, and connects the education system with other public services (such as social welfare or recruitment competitions).
To address the challenges posed today, the Minister highlighted the need to enhance teacher support, so they can sustainably integrate digital tools into their teaching practices, improve interoperability between the education system and other key sectors, such as health or social protection, to facilitate the secure sharing of student health record information.
It has become crucial to better connect research, technological innovation, and practical pedagogical applications, in order to accelerate the transition from knowledge to action and transform innovations into useful tools for students and teachers, the Minister continued, noting that to tackle these challenges, "we are adopting a progressive approach, based on experimentation, dialogue with stakeholders, and the targeted deployment of proven solutions."
Launched in 2020 in response to the urgency caused by the COVID-19 crisis, the Global Education Coalition (GEC) has become "a dynamic global network of partners committed to transforming education," according to UNESCO, which highlights the Coalition’s role in bridging the digital divide, strengthening teacher capacities, promoting youth employability, and advancing gender equality in and through education.
