National Reading Program

Context and Issue

Morocco has achieved nearly universal access to education in the last decade, with net enrollment rates in grade one surpassing 97 percent. However, this seemingly positive statistic hides many challenges students face in achieving long-term academic success, particularly in early-grade reading performance. In 2015, seven out of ten first-grade students in Morocco could not read at grade level. A recent study identified insufficient teacher training and the absence of supplementary reading materials as two main factors preventing students from becoming successful independent readers.

Solution

"In 2015, USAID partnered with the Ministry of National Education, Vocational Training, Higher Education, and Scientific Research to launch the 30-month Reading for Success – Small-Scale Experimentation activity to develop and test the most effective approaches to strengthen students' Arabic reading skills in targeted primary schools.

USAID supported the national Reading for Success program by developing a NEW ARABIC LANGUAGE CURRICULUM FOR GRADES ONE TO SIX based on the early grade reading principles and highly interactive activities. The program focused on capacity-building teachers and designing extra-curricular activities around reading. In terms of inclusivity, the program also developed the sign language.

Impact

Some of the results reported by the USAID are as follows:

894 inspectors received training to train 93,393 teachers of grades one to six in public and private schools nationwide.

22,446 students in grades one to four in 63 pilot schools use 14,325 supplementary reading books in the classroom and have individual access to diversified and leveled electronic reading materials on the online reading platform.

4,432,229 students in grades one through six are reading at grade level with comprehension using updated instructional materials in 24,358 public and private schools nationwide.

Over 72,700 educators were trained in implementing evidence-based reading instruction using the new textbooks and teaching and learning materials.

More than 4,000 deaf and hard-of-hearing students in grades one to six reached out through the support of the MSL interpretation activity.

66 Ministry evaluation experts equipped with methods to build nationwide evaluation capacity in ministry staff.

The Reading for Success program in Morocco exemplifies how government collaboration, capacity building, and evidence-based interventions can drive nationwide improvements in early-grade literacy. While the initiative has successfully trained thousands of educators and provided millions of students with updated learning materials, its long-term sustainability depends on institutional integration, continued teacher development, and systematic evaluation of learning outcomes. Expanding inclusive education efforts, particularly for deaf and hard-of-hearing students, and ensuring ongoing access to supplementary reading materials will be essential for maintaining progress. Strengthening local ownership and long-term funding mechanisms will help embed these reforms into Morocco’s national education framework, ensuring lasting impact beyond the program’s initial implementation.