New visions for citizen formation: An analysis of citizenship education policy in Morocco

Abstract

This article offers perspectives on the framing of citizenship education in recent education policy reform in Morocco. Against a background of shifting conceptions of citizenship and citizenship education occurring both globally and regionally in the Middle East and North Africa, the article focuses on Morocco’s Strategic Vision for Reform 2015–2030, offering an analysis of the main section of the policy targeting citizenship education, referred to in the document as chapter 3 (‘For a school that develops the individual and society’), lever 18 (‘Enact a society of citizenship, democracy and equality’). Drawing on policy analysis of these sections of the reform documentation, we examine the various recommendations that reference national Moroccan citizenship education, concluding that the discourse surrounding citizenship education tends to emphasize a disciplined conception of citizen formation, framing the student as apathetic and passive. Moreover, the article analyzes these recommendations within the social, cultural, economic, and political context of Morocco, offering insights on potential challenges in its implementation.