About Morocco
Lying in the northwest corner of
Africa, Morocco is dominated by the Atlas Mountains, which separate the
fertile coastal regions from the harsh Sahara. The high mountains helped
protect Morocco from European colonialism until 1912. From 1912 to 1956
the country was divided into French and Spanish zones—two small Spanish
enclaves remain, Ceuta and Melilla. Mosques, minarets, and bazaars
typify Morocco, 99 percent of whose inhabitants are Muslims. King
Mohammed VI, who has ruled since 1999, claims descent from the Prophet
Muhammad. Morocco today is one of only three kingdoms left on the
continent of Africa—the others, Lesotho and Swaziland, are small,
southern African countries.
Morocco has always been a crossroads between Africa, Europe and the
Middle East, and nowhere evokes this sense more than Tangier, that faded
poster boy for Europe’s often decadent but sometimes creative presence
on Moroccan shores. From Tangier, turn south along Morocco’s Atlantic
Coast and you’ll be accompanied by a sea breeze that massages the
ramparts of wonderful cities whose names – Essaouira, Casablanca, Asilah,
Rabat – and atmosphere carry a whiff of African magic. Travel east along
the Mediterranean coast and you’ll be bidden into enchanting towns and
the mountains of the Rif. Morocco is sensory overload at its most
intoxicating, from the scents and sounds that permeate the medinas of
Fès and Marrakesh to the astonishing sights of the landscape.
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Moroccan Educational System
Compulsory
education was introduced in 1960. The basic Education System consists of
9 years of education followed by three years of secondary education. The
technical track offers subjects like Engineering, Economics and
Agricultural Sciences. Vocational training courses are also offered
here. English however is becoming popular in the private schools in
Morocco. Higher education is offered in 14 public universities
throughout Morocco, and private universities are becoming popular too.
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