WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT SCIENCE IN Morocco

Lahbib holds a PhD in Environment and Water Treatment Technologies from Cadi Ayyad University (Morocco), and Shimanee University (Japan). Formerly, he worked as a researcher, innovator and lecturer at the National Center for Studies and Researches on Water and Energy (Marrakesh, Morocco). He was also an affiliate researcher at the Morocco in located in northern Africa, it is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the North and the Atlantic Ocean to the West. In Morocco, nearly half of the country’s 40 million people and most of the poor live in rural areas. Morocco faces low growth and high unemployment. Indeed, since 2001, Morocco has been experiencing higher economic growth, but this is far from the needed higher rates to fight poverty reduction. In the Moroccan kingdom, science has significantly developed in recent years. The Moroccan government has been implementing reforms to encourage scientific research in the Kingdom. While research has yet to acquire the status of a national priority in Morocco, the country does have major assets that could transform its R&D sector into a key vehicle for development. The national system of research in Morocco is guided by different elements, such as the pronouncements of the king, reports of special commissions, five-year plans, and the creation of a special program for the support of research. The Moroccan government’s Five-Year Plan for 2017-2022 articulated the priority lines for research. The declared objectives of this plan were to align S&T research with socio-economic development priorities. Sectors declared as priority areas were: agriculture, health fisheries, potable water, sanitation, geology, mining, energy, environment, climate change, information and telecommunications technologies, and transport. In recent years, Morocco has also made numerous improvements and committed to solidifying the quality of its education system. However, according to the ministry of education, Men in Morocco currently dominate the gross enrollment ratio for primary, secondary and tertiary education systems; for secondary education, male enrollment exceeded female enrollment by 10.8 percent in 2017. This is the reason why, Africa Science Week – Morocco 2019 aims to promote science in Morocco, through igniting the scientific spirit in young Moroccan students particularly young Moroccan girls and give tribute to innovators particularly working in rural areas. The primary goal of this initiative is to bring the general public closer to science. The youngest, middle school students, high school students and students are particularly concerned. It is indeed among them that are the scientists, innovators and inventors of tomorrow. It is thanks to their commitment and their support that Africa will develop its scientific potential, an essential element sustainable development of the continent, and of the whole planet. In Morocco, the 2019 Africa Science Week took place in Rabat from 20 to 22 November. Particular attention was paid to business in science, women in science, and interdisciplinary in science. Specific activities were held for high school students, with a visit of the Institute of the African Studies and Scientific Institute, and for primary school students in rural areas through a village of science supported by several science clubs.