In Area A (Access and participation in opportunities for LLL), the Torino Process tracks the first two of the monitoring dimensions presented in Section 2.1 – access/attractiveness and participation, with a total of six system outcomes. These outcomes include access to IVET, CVET, and other opportunities for lifelong learning, the vertical and horizontal permeability of the VET system, as well as the prospects of learners in IVET and CVET to graduate and - where relevant – progress to subsequent levels of education and training. The outcomes included under Area A are defined as follows:

FIGURE 3. POLICY AND SYSTEM OUTCOMES INCLUDED UNDER MONITORING AREA A: ACCESS AND PARTICIPATION

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The previous section of this report discussed that access and participation is an area of weaker performance for the VET system in Morocco. A look into performance by specific segment of the VET system reveals that this finding is only partially true as it masks a vast discrepancy in access to learning between the IVET and CVET subsystems. Access to initial VET programmes and the attractiveness of these programmes (Outcome A.1.1) are generally considered to be satisfactory. This is an area in which the VET in Morocco excels in international comparison by a large margin, perhaps because of IVET being an attractive and competitive choice (only half of applicants towards an IVET programme are accepted) and because of a relevant, diversified IVET offer (Figure 2).[7] Source: Morocco 2023 Torino Process self-assessment country questionnaire.

At the same time, access to CVET programmes (Outcome A.1.2), such as qualifying training for jobseekers and literacy training for the general public, remains much lower in terms of system performance (SPI of 34) despite such trainings being generally available to learners without an additional cost.[8] Ibid.
Although the score of Morocco in this dimension is still much higher than the score of other countries which average at an SPI of 20, these results indicate that access to CVET and its attractiveness may be a shared challenge for all. This is also the case with system performance in support of access to other opportunities for learning for adults, such as those created by active labour market policies (Outcome A.1.3),[9] Refers to all formal and non-formal learning opportunities for youth and adults.
where Morocco as well as other countries in the sample perform rather low in comparison with other areas of delivery within their respective systems.

FIGURE 4. PROMOTING ACCESS AND PARTICIPATION IN OPPORTUNITIES FOR LLL-
INDEX OF SYSTEM PERFORMANCE, MOROCCO AND INTERNATIONAL AVERAGE (2023)

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Theoretical index range: min/low performance=0, max/high performance=100

Source: Torino Process monitoring database

Another group of factors which influence system performance in Morocco in this first area of monitoring, specifically participation in learning, include the limited permeability between learning pathways (general and vocational), as shown in the results for Outcomes A.2.1 and A.2.2 in Figure 2. System performance in support of VET graduates who wish to continue their education on subsequent level in general education is quite low (SPI of 25 compared to an SPI of 60 internationally), mainly because the system is set-up in a way which limits the possibilities for such a transition in the first place. A horizontal transition from a VET pathway to a parallel general education pathway is even more unlikely and difficult, as attested by an SPI result of 36 as opposed to an SPI of 62 for other countries, on average. The data suggests that, unlike in other countries, for most IVET learners in Morocco VET is a rigid, “dead-end” choice in terms of educational career prospects.

In the first part of Area B (Quality and relevance of LLL outcomes), the Torino Process follows another two of the dimensions presented in Section 2.1, namely quality/relevance and responsiveness of VET, with a total of eight policy and system outcomes. These outcomes cover the quality of learning of youth and adults in VET in terms of key skills and competences, the exposure of learners in VET to the world of work, the employability of graduates from IVET and CVET, the availability of career guidance for them, as well as the relevance of learning and training content in VET. Under relevance, the monitoring records the responsiveness of the VET programme offering to demographic, labour market, and socio-economic developments, as well as the inclusion in VET curricula of themes pertaining to the green and digital transition. The outcomes included under Area B (1) are defined as follows:

FIGURE 5. POLICY AND SYSTEM OUTCOMES INCLUDED UNDER MONITORING AREA B (1): QUALITY AND RELEVANCE

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Morocco has prioritised the inclusion of soft skills in the curricula of VET training programmes,[10] Source: Morocco 2023 Torino Process self-assessment country questionnaire
but the monitoring data shows that, with an SPI score of 25 for quality of learning outcomes at the time of this monitoring round, the country was still catching up with the provision of good quality basic skills and key competences to young students in VET compared to other countries (Figure 3). This is in line with the results of major international assessments such as OECD’s Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), which show that the basic competencies of students in general education and VET in Morocco in reading, mathematics, and science are below average.

Adults and adult learners in Morocco on the other hand seem to dispose to a larger extent than their peers in other countries of the basic skills and competencies commonly conceptualised as essential for thriving in information-rich societies, i.e., IT and literacy. The system performance score for the quality of adult learning in Morocco (Outcome B.1.2) is 70 points, which is higher than the international SPI average of 65 (Figure 3). The international data which was used for the calculation of this result stems from 2018 and shows that the literacy rate of adults has improved in the past years and is overall higher for men (82%) than for women (60%).[11] Source: ETF KIESE database and World Development Indicators database – World Bank

Despite the lower than desirable quality of learning and training outcomes for youth in VET, the employability of VET graduates in Morocco is high (Outcome B.1.4, SPI of 75), well above the international SPI average of 55 for that outcome. Unless this is driven by high demand for VET graduates, it speaks for the immediate relevance of the skills provided in the VET training programmes.

This is an interesting finding, considering that the evidence shows only a weak direct link between the VET programmes and the labour market as measured by the presence of work-based learning components in these programmes: Morocco’s SPI score of 25 is way below the international average of 70. This may suggest that VET is mainly school-based and does not include a lot of required experience in (real) workplaces. Steps towards improving the work-based learning elements have been made, but they are still at a low overall level.[12] Source: Morocco 2023 Torino Process self-assessment country questionnaire
Part of the explanation for the high degree of employability of graduates may be the presence of other links of VET to employers, which go beyond the content and provision of VET programmes. Also, with an SPI score of 93, the career guidance provided to learners seems to be a service which delivers rather well.

FIGURE 6. SUPPORTING QUALITY AND RELEVANCE OF LIFELONG LEARNING - INDEX
OF SYSTEM PERFORMANCE, MOROCCO AND INTERNATIONAL AVERAGE (2023)

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Theoretical index range: min/low performance=0, max/high performance=100

Source: Torino Process monitoring database

The Torino Process monitoring framework considers relevance of learning content also in longer-term perspective by looking at the extent to which curricula consider forward-looking, emerging themes such as the digital and green transitions (Outcomes B.4.1 and B.4.2). In that dimension of performance, the VET system of Morocco delivers a mixed message. It is doing better in considering greening as a theme in the curricula (SPI of 81), and it is doing worse than that with regards to digitalisation as a theme with an SPI of 49 (Figure 3). Overall, digital skills are not often included in the (regular) VET curriculum in Morocco.[13] Ibid.
Giving more attention to green skills and less attention to digital skills seems to be in line with trends in other countries, whose average SPI scores for green and digital transition as themes in VET curricula are 74 and 50 respectively.

In the second part of Area B (Excellence and innovation in support of lifelong learning), the Torino Process monitors two performance dimensions – excellence and innovation, which accommodate a total of eight system outcomes. These outcomes include excellence in pedagogy, learning content, governance, and inclusion into learning, as well as systemic innovation in support of access, participation, quality, and relevance of learning and training. The outcomes included under Area B (2) are defined as follows:

FIGURE 7. POLICY AND SYSTEM OUTCOMES INCLUDED UNDER MONITORING AREA B (2): EXCELLENCE AND INNOVATION

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This report defines excellence as the presence of system-wide policies and measures to promote highest quality practices and results in various domains of policy and system delivery. The first of these domains of excellence is pedagogy and the professional development of teachers and trainers (Outcome B.2.1). Like for other countries in the sample, the average SPI score of Morocco in this domain is mid-range at 52 points (Figure 4). System performance here may have been negatively influenced by a relatively low share of teachers in adult learning with access to professional development,[14] Source: Morocco 2023 Torino Process self-assessment country questionnaire
which offsets the otherwise high share of teachers in IVET who can and do receive professional development.

Morocco is missing data that would allow to see how professional development opportunities for teachers influence the delivery of the next outcome in focus of monitoring - excellence in the implementation of VET programmes (Outcome B.2.2). When it comes to the promotion of high-quality practices in the management and governance of VET providers however (Outcome B.2.3), the self-reported performance of Morocco is high. While the monitoring does not reveal whether and if yes, how this score influences VET system performance in other areas, the result suggests that participants in VET governance and management are content with the ways in which they cooperate in their respective roles within the system.

The promotion of excellence in support of social inclusion and equity, on the other hand, is a domain of weaker system performance. For this system outcome, the SPI score of Morocco is 49 (Figure 4) and despite the legal stipulation of equal treatment, several of the outcome variables used in the calculation of the SPI score for this outcome point towards some gender disparity in favour of men.

FIGURE 8. EXCELLENCE AND INNOVATION FOR BETTER LLL-INDEX OF SYSTEM
PERFORMANCE, MOROCCO AND INTERNATIONAL AVERAGE (2023)

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Theoretical index range: min/low performance=0, max/high performance=100

Source: Torino Process monitoring database

The VET system exhibits more consistent levels of performance between outcomes included under “systemic innovation” than it does between those discussed so far under “excellence”. Morocco reports to have successfully mobilised innovative practices and policies for the improvement of access to opportunities in LLL (Outcome B.3.1). Performance with that deliverable was similar to that of other countries (SPI of 75). The VET system delivers even better in terms of innovation towards the quality (Outcome B.3.3) and relevance (Outcome B.3.4) of learning and training (SPI of 75 for each, relative to an international average of 65 for each, as shown in Figure 4).

However, the benefits of innovation in this domain are yet to reach a critical mass of beneficiaries in the VET system, as suggested by the otherwise lower results concerning quality of learning in Morocco that were discussed in the previous sections. Innovation in support of the successful participation and graduation of learners, for instance through prevention of drop-out and through other forms of support (Outcome B.3.2) is noticeably lower than the performance in delivering the other outcomes covered under “innovation”.

In Area C (System organisation), the monitoring framework accommodates the last two dimensions presented in Section 2.1 – steering/management and resourcing, in which the Torino Process tracks a total of eight system outcomes. These outcomes include the availability and use of data for informed decision-making, the involvement of stakeholders in VET policy, provider management, and resourcing, quality assurance and accountability, the internationalisation of VET providers, as well as the availability and use of human and financial resources in VET. The outcomes included under Area C are defined as follows:

FIGURE 9. POLICY AND SYSTEM OUTCOMES INCLUDED UNDER MONITORING AREA C): SYSTEM ORGANISATION

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Among the outcomes included in this area of performance observation, governance (C.1.2) stands out once again as domain of system operation which participants in VET describe as high performing because of involvement and participation, for instance in vocational training policy and in the development of competence-based approaches to learning.[15] Source: Morocco 2023 Torino Process self-assessment country questionnaire
In a way, this is an outlier result in international comparison as the average SPI score of other countries for this outcome does not exceed 75. Many of them report of sizeable challenges in this domain,[16] Source: Torino Process 2023 self-assessment country questionnaire
especially with the involvement of employers in the steering and management of their VET systems.

The general public and other stakeholders on the other hand seem to be somewhat less involved and aware of what and how IVET and CVET deliver for learners, in part because of limitations in what quality assurance policies and practices in Morocco focus on and do, and partly because quality assurance results about student and provider performance are rarely (if at all) made public.[17] Source: ETF KIESE database and OECD PISA 2018 database
The performance score of Morocco in this domain (Outcome C.1.3) is 54. With an average SPI of 59, other countries in the Torino Process sample do not do much better in delivering this policy and system outcome.

The experiences of peers in other countries are an important source of learning and development for practitioners in education and training, in quality assurance and in any other domain. Exposure to peer-learning opportunities can motivate improvement and raise awareness of the value and use of one’s own professional insights and experiences. Internationalisation of providers and teaching in Morocco, however, is not among the strengths of the VET system (Outcome C.1.5) and the exchange and interaction with peers and other organisations abroad are relatively low (SPI of 50). More international exposure within the education system could improve this.

FIGURE 10. GOVERNANCE, PARTICIPATION, ACCOUNTABILITY, AND RESOURCES - INDEX OF SYSTEM PERFORMANCE, MOROCCO AND INTERNATIONAL AVERAGE (2023)

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Theoretical index range: min/low performance=0, max/high performance=100

Source: Torino Process monitoring database

When it comes to the sufficiency of financial resources invested in VET and the proper management of human resources supplied to the system (Outcomes C.2.1 – C.2.3), Morocco performs well. As noted also in Section 2.1, resourcing of VET is reported as the best performing of all dimensions in focus of the Torino Process in 2023. with the provision of adequate material base and of financial resources being particularly high in international comparison.

This last finding deserves closer investigation. There may be some discrepancy of perceptions and experiences with the adequacy of resources on different governance levels in the system, which may lead to bias in the evidence about the availability or lack of resources in VET depending on where and from whom the evidence has been collected. For instance, the disaggregated data behind the aggregate performance results suggests that disadvantaged providers are more likely to experienced resource and material shortages than more affluent providers and that these shortages have an impact on their capacity to deliver to expectations.[18] Source: ETF KIESE database and OECD PISA 2018 database.

This section describes findings about VET system performance regarding access, participation, quality and relevance, and innovation to the benefit of female youth and adult learners in VET in Morocco.

Enrolment in VET in Morocco favours young women over female adults by a large margin (Dimension A.1 – Access). This could be the outcome of a lower propensity among adult females to become learners due to their family or professional situation, and it is also a consequence of a better-performing IVET subsystem in this dimension of monitoring. IVET is highly selective, but prospective male and female participants in it are treated equally, according to the qualitative answers. Still, young females tend to emerge as the more successful group in these selection processes than young men.

FIGURE 11. SYSTEM PERFORMANCE IN SUPPORT OF FEMALE LEARNERS IN
SELECTED MONITORING DIMENSIONS, MOROCCO (2023)

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Theoretical index range: min/low performance=0, max/high performance=100

Source: Torino Process monitoring database

Once enrolled, adult female learners in Morocco are more likely to participate and graduate successfully than their younger peers irrespective of the gender of those peers (Dimension A.2 – Participation). However, the quality and relevance of the education and training they receive tends to be considerably lower in comparison, mostly because of their lower employability. Within the literacy rate, women continue to underperform, having 60% literacy rate versus 82% for men, which also testifies for the quality limitations of efforts to address the adult illiteracy challenge. The situation is quite the opposite for young female learners and graduates. The monitoring results shown in Figure 6 suggest that they manage to reap the benefits of their education and training more successfully than their adult peers of the same gender, but not quite as successfully as men.

Unlike during the routine operation of the VET system, when some segments of the female learner population are being favoured over others with respect to access, participation, and quality/relevance, the capacity of VET in Morocco to innovate in some of these dimensions (access and participation) does not show gender or age bias. On the contrary, innovation in these two dimensions benefits youth and adult learners equally, irrespective of their gender. This may suggest some difficulties with the system-wide scaling up of otherwise promising and effective innovative practices and policy solutions.

This section describes how well the VET system caters for the needs of socioeconomically disadvantaged youth when it comes to access, participation, and quality/relevance of opportunities for lifelong learning through VET. The section also looks into whether efforts to promote innovation in VET access and participation benefit this specific group of learners in Morocco.

FIGURE 12. SYSTEM PERFORMANCE IN SUPPORT OF SOCIO-ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED YOUTH IN SELECTED MONITORING DIMENSIONS, MOROCCO (2023)

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Theoretical index range: min/low performance=0, max/high performance=100

Source: Torino Process monitoring database

The monitoring results for this group of learners show that there are no significant deviations in VET system performance from the average performance of the system for all learners when it comes to innovation in access to, and participation in, learning. In fact, whether intentional or not, policies and practices in access to learning seem to favour disadvantaged youth more than the average learners. However, once enrolled this group of participants in VET is much more likely to experience difficulties with its participation in learning and progression to subsequent stages of learning. Those learners who nevertheless cope with the challenges can count on receiving education and training of above average quality and relevance.

Section 2.3.3 presents findings about VET system performance from the perspective of three strategically important groups of adults: the long-term unemployed, the economically inactive adults, and those with low or no educational attainment. The selection of monitoring dimensions is narrower compared to the selection discussed in the previous sections, partly because some of these dimensions are not applicable, and partly because of missing data for Morocco.

Through its self-assessment questionnaire, Morocco reports of the existence of specific programmes for each of these groups. Where it exists, system performance data collected by the Torino Process indicates that these programmes are effective. The overall performance score in support of these groups in the dimension of access to learning is considerably higher than that in support of the overall population of learners.

FIGURE 13. SYSTEM PERFORMANCE IN SUPPORT OF ADULTS WHO ARE LONG-TERM UNEMPLOYED, ECONOMICALLY INACTIVE, AND HAVE LOW EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT, MOROCCO (2023)

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Theoretical index range: min/low performance=0, max/high performance=100

Source: Torino Process monitoring database

The same is true for the extent to which innovation in access, participation and graduation in VET benefits these learners: system performance in this respect is comparable to the performance towards all learners, but it is slightly more favourable to those with low or no educational attainment than to those who are long-term unemployed or economically inactive. This presumably reflects the higher priority given to measures to increase the skills and qualification of lower educated and especially those with no education, as well as to reactivate those who have “dropped out” of the labour market.

The final section with monitoring findings discusses performance in the domains of access, participation, quality and relevance, and innovation in Morocco for learners who are first-generation migrants.

FIGURE 14. SYSTEM PERFORMANCE IN SUPPORT OF FIRST-GENERATION
MIGRANTS IN SELECTED MONITORING DIMENSIONS, MOROCCO (2023)

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Theoretical index range: min/low performance=0, max/high performance=100

Source: Torino Process monitoring database

The situation of the migrant population in the context of the education process reflects the efforts to provide and improve the access to the qualification system. While the score for the access of the migrant population is below the national level, the scores for participation, quality and relevance and innovation are on par with it or even better, and reflect policy and development aims to improve the situation of this specific target group.