Minister of National Education, Preschool and Sports, Chakib Benmoussa, supervised, at the Al Massira Al Khadra primary school in Tahnnaout in the province of Al Haouz, the kickoff of the new school year, with the gradual return to class of students and children enrolled in preschool education according to the dates planned for each cycle and level, the ministry said in a press release.

   Classes will begin effectively on Monday, September 9 for all cycles in all educational facilities, the same source noted.

   Public education will welcome approximately 6.976 million students, including 3.716 million students in primary education (-1.3%), 2.025 million students in middle-school education (+5.5%), and approximately 1.235 million students in secondary education (+12.7%).

   Regarding new enrollments in public education, their number is expected to reach more than 1.813 million students, including 585,000 enrolled in the first year of primary education, 625,000 in the first year of middle-school education and 453,000 in the first year of secondary education.

   To ensure a place for each student in public education and to reduce the overcrowding of classes and the number of multi-level classes, the educational offer has been strengthened by building 189 new facilities, 68% of which are in rural areas, with 10 community schools, thus bringing the number of schools at the national level to approximately 12,300, 56% of which are in rural areas.

   In addition, 3,492 classrooms have been created, 59% of which are in rural areas.