Moroccan jobs, education top post-election challenges

(Mawassi Lahcen) "Unemployment and education are the biggest challenges for the next Moroccan government," MP and entrepreneur Saloua Karkri Belkeziz tells Magharebia.

Moroccans are counting on the next government to fix the country’s economic and social problems, the worst of which is unemployment.

Saloua Karkri Belkeziz is uniquely positioned to discuss what voters may expect from the first election under the new constitution. As an independent parliamentarian, she knows government. As the founder of the Association of Women Entrepreneurs of Morocco (AFEM) and the head of the General Confederation of Moroccan Businesses (CGEM), she also knows jobs.

Magharebia: Is Morocco ready for the upcoming poll?

Belkeziz: The new constitution gave broad powers to the head of government and gave voters the right to select the person who will assume this post. Therefore, I think Moroccan political parties shouldn’t just present their platforms: they should present candidates who can assume this responsibility.

I also think that the Moroccan parties, as well as the state and civil society, should take time to prepare well in order to ensure broad participation in the election and make it a success. That is why I disagree with some of the political forces that call for speeding up the election and holding it next October.

The main question now, in my opinion, is whether we will accept a head of government who only represents 10% or 15% of all Moroccans?

I think that March 2012 will be a suitable date, as it will enable the current government to complete its mandate, and then hold it to account for its management of public affairs. The time period between now and March 2012 will give political parties and the state an interval to introduce the necessary regulatory reforms to make the election a success.

Magharebia: Will new voters turn out to cast their ballots?

Belkeziz: The parties must open their doors for young people and women. It will be easier to regain young people’s confidence and motivate them to take part in politics.

There are about 7 million people at the voting age who didn’t put their names on the electoral rolls. I think we should give those people the opportunity to take part in the election.

The horizons that the new constitution is opening will give a new taste and flavour and meaning to politics in Morocco, as it will open the field for political activists to reach decision-making positions through elections and enable them to implement their ideas and programmes.

The next government must consist of at least 2 or 3 parties that have a joint programme and a unified and comprehensive view of the issues, unlike what we see today. We want a strong, credible government that is based on citizens’ votes and really represents them. We want a government that is capable of dealing with challenges and a government that meets the requirements established under the new construction.

[Reuters/Youssef Boudlal] Women attend a free sewing class in Casablanca. Belkeziz calls for more job training programmes and self-employment options.

Magharebia: The next head of government will have broad powers under the new constitution. What do you see as the greatest challenges facing Morocco?

Belkeziz: The next government will have to deal with unemployment, education and health, because what young people are looking for is dignity. Dignity starts with providing a decent job that guarantees social stability. By “a decent job”, I mean one that ensures social protection.

Right now there are only about 2.5 million workers who have health coverage. This situation just can’t continue. All workers should enjoy social and health coverage.

The rate of unemployment is very high and is expected to exacerbate in the next months, especially as the expected economic growth rate is less than 5%. It’s true that the unemployment rate got down to below 9.5%, but we shouldn’t forget that this figure includes unemployment statistics in rural areas.

In urban areas, the unemployment rate is around 19%.

During the third quarter of this year, the rate is expected to rise with the school graduation, as thousands of young people will join the lines of job-seekers.

Reforming the constitution alone is not enough to solve these problems. The constitution just gives the general framework, but the most important thing is what the next government will do.

Whatever the case, the next government will find itself faced with a heavy legacy. The current government will leave behind very tough conditions.

[Reuters/Youssef Boudlal] The differences between private and public education will be among the most important issues for the next Moroccan government.

Magharebia: So what can be done about jobs?

Belkeziz: As far as I’m concerned, I think that job creation should be mainly in the private sector, in the productive sectors, not only through government. In addition, employment at the civil administrative level should respond to real needs, meaning that we should have competent people who can provide quality services for citizens and not just become employees who receive salaries. But this needs political courage and a change in mentalities.

Magharebia: How much can we depend on the private sector to create jobs?

Belkeziz: The problem in the private sector is the unsuitability of education for employment needs. In addition, employment in the private sector requires experience, a condition that many young job-seekers – especially fresh graduates – don’t have.

We just can’t wait for a solution to the problem of suitability of education. There are thousands of young people for whom we need to find solutions.

The government must continue to support training and integration programmes at companies. Moreover, a suitable atmosphere for the incorporation of companies must be created. The number of companies that are incorporated in Morocco every year is still very limited. This requires a radical reform of the business atmosphere and the encouragement of enterprise and entrepreneurship in young people.

Magharebia: There is talk about a self-employment law, but nothing has happened yet. What’s the delay?

Belkeziz: There is actually a self-employment law, but political competition between different ministers delayed its implementation. Each one wants to keep it to use it during the electoral campaign. This law is very important because it will enable many young people who have vocational skills to create simple enterprises without needing to wait for complex measures to form companies. In this way, they can engage in their trades and crafts in a structured and organised framework that provides them with social protection and health coverage.

Magharebia: Education is another top challenge, you said earlier. How do you see the solution?

Belkeziz: As to education, the main problem is the language; we can’t just continue to educate young people in one language while we work in another.

It’s not logical that young people study in the Arabic language up to the baccalaureate level and then be required to proceed with their high education in French. Upon graduation, we find ourselves faced with young people who don’t master any languages.

We studied under a good system, and we were learning languages, including Arabic, and at the same time, we were studying technical and scientific subjects in French. And at the same time, public education was strong. The problem is that this trend towards private education involves social discrimination and exclusion, as only well-to-do people can afford quality education for their children.

I think that we should reconsider the subsidy that the government is providing to private education, and to re-direct this subsidy to the family instead of giving tax privileges or other benefits to private education institutions. These institutions are enterprises and their aim is to make profits. Therefore, they must pay taxes.

We need to support families that are forced to send their children to private schools because the state didn’t provide public education at the required quality and level. We can do this by deducting the expenses that families spend on private education from income tax.