Female Academic Excellence in Morocco; Features of Women’s Future Local and International Leadership

In recent years, Morocco has recorded a remarkable achievement superiority of female students at various educational levels, in contrast to a continuous decline of males' achievements. The last indicator of this discrepancy is that out of the 10 highest baccalaureate rates for the year 2021, there are 8 females.

According to data from the Ministry of National Education in the Kingdom of Morocco, the number of girls who have passed the baccalaureate high school exam for the current year 2021 has reached 122,760 students, or 55.54% of the total number of successful applicants for the exam, outperforming the number of males.

The question rising about the female academic outperformance is may this excellence turn into a local and international imprint in favor of women leadership in various fields?

 

Responsibility and Perseverance

The academic outperformance of females is not only reflected in the results of the baccalaureate exams but also the percentage of females who manage to enter some colleges, institutes and higher schools including Medicine faculty and Engineering Universities.

The university professor and researcher in sociology Ali Chaabani, who shared with Al-Estiklal his experience in one of the higher institutes, stated that “the percentage of females in some of his classes exceeded 90% of the total students to reach even 100%. For instance, at the Higher Institute of Press and Information, 98% of students are female.”

The researcher explained this by the fact that "girls are often more disciplined and responsible than males. They focus and persevere more", which is linked to several factors, “including the method of education and dealing with the sexes, which leads the girl to consider that "her future depends on her academic achievement and work performance.”

Soumia Rahali Moroccan researcher at Istanbul Sabahtin Zaim emphasized the family role in this phenomenon. She said to Al-Estiklal that: “Most Moroccan family members favor males than females. Thus, they give males many advantages without asking them for any duties. While the same family members assign multiple duties to females and they may even punish them severely if they do not fulfill their due tasks. Consequently, assuming many responsibilities forge girls’ sense of responsibility and help them developing many capabilities. Although the biased treatment is inequitable and unfair, it is beneficial for females in the academic and work spheres.”

 

Social Advancement 

Pr. Chaabani continued “It seems then that the deprivation of education, work and participation in public life, which girls have suffered for a long time, and the current society's view of the uneducated girl, are all motivating factors for girls to prove themselves in education first and in work later.

Soumia as an economic researcher believes that “groups who suffer marginalization often find in education a way to compensate for the lack of opportunities available to them,” and therefore “invest more time in education,” which is considered as the only possible “lift” for social advancement.

She added: “The female bet on education to boost the extent of their academic excellence, and opens up prospects for them, especially in the labor market. On the other hand, missing the opportunity for advancement through education may cause the girl to be exposed to many social problems.”

Rahal’s statement may be confirmed by many numerical data, which reveal the high rates of women's exposure to violence and various negative social phenomena when their educational level is low.

Rahali pointed out that “Some social perceptions of the role of women, may differ only if they are educated and working, as opposed to men, whose future is often not tied to education.”

 

Success of Women's Struggles

What must also be invoked to explain this matter, according to Chaabani, is that girls' ability today to study, work and participate in various aspects of public life, "is the result of a long history of civil society struggles and many legislations", at a time when males consider all this as an "obvious right."

The Arab World Institute (IMA) in Paris underlined the role played by Moroccan women, through membership in associations or other initiatives, including the contribution to the creation of cultural centers, in the field of inclusion and the socio-professional integration of young people, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds.

They reviewed the experience of neighborhood cultural centers, some of which are run by women and which aim to fight against religious extremism through access to culture, music, theater, sport, and movie theater.

The Arab World Institute Emphased also the commitment of Moroccan women, within the framework of several associations in different cities of the Kingdom, in terms of protection and to help destitute children by setting up, in particular, nurseries, training, and education facilities.

The IMA also stressed the importance of adopting a participatory approach and a partnership with both the State and the private sector to ensure the success and sustainability of these initiatives led by women actors and Civil society.

 

International Imprint

The stories of Moroccan women who excelled in different world countries are many and varied, despite the difficulties they faced. “Today, the reality of academic excellence in all fields will open up greater prospects for leaving the mark of Moroccan women at the international level.” Rahali pointed out.

For example, the experience of Kawthar Hafezi, who was able to reach the leadership of the physics department at the American “Argon” laboratory, which is one of the largest American laboratories, after accumulating several experiments and experiences in research in Europe and the United States of America. We can also mention the experience of Nawal Al-Mutawakil as the first Arab and African woman to reach the position of Vice President International Olympic Committee or Fatema Mernissi the sociologist and author who had an influential mark in the world of Islamic feminism.

Rahali explained, “With the outstanding academic performance of female Moroccans, I believe that these success stories will multiply. Especially with the immigration trends to foreign countries that are dramatically increasing in Morocco. Thus, the female’s international great impact is imminent.”