Source: http://webcast.un.org/ramgen/conferences/hrc2006/four/hrc070321am-eng.rm?start=02:45:04&end=02:51:48 Human Rights Council Fourth Session March 21, 2007 Morocco Thank you very much, Mr. President. Mr. President, I would like to first of all thank Mr. Vernor Muñoz for his high caliber report and his constructive impressions and his recommendations on the visit that was carried out in my country in November- December 2006 up to 2007. Mr. President, this visit gave rise to a frank, sincere, and fruitful dialogue between the Special Rapporteur on the one hand, and on the other hand the governmental authorities, civil society, and other actors concerned by the question of the right to education. While awaiting the publication of the comprehensive report on this visit, we will be studying with the greatest possible care and attention the conclusions, recommendations put forward in the preliminary note presented during the present session. And we will notify the Special Rapporteur immediately of our reactions in the form of an additional document with our additional reactions. I will just confine myself to the following comments and remarks, therefore. Firstly, the Moroccan authorities attach the greatest possible importance to the full enjoyment of the right to education. In this context, His Majesty, the king introduced on September 14th 2006 a higher educational council, which is aimed at giving momentum to our educational system and to ensure its progressive development. Secondly, to ensure full and effective enjoyment to the right to education, Morocco has developed the following areas of activity: the reform of the curricula, the programs, and the school textbooks for the primary and secondary levels, development of initial and ongoing education for the staff in this area, strengthening support activities to ensure fulfillment of pupils and to bring about their social integration, improvements in pedagogical teaching assessment programs, and the development of new information technologies and communication technologies, which will be extended to cover all school establishments by the year 2008. Thirdly, concerning actions undertaken by Morocco to promote human rights in the educational system, measures have been adopted and I will mention the main ones among them: The establishment of a central human rights and citizenry commission, the establishment of an observation center of values to promote human rights and equality in strategic planning, curricula programs and school textbooks, the establishment of a commission to revise the content of school textbooks in the light of principles of human rights and the establishment of a children’s parliament and communal councils for children to introduce democratic principles. There is also a national program in this school environment which has allowed for the revision of 120 textbooks to introduction human rights concepts in them including gender equality and work to combat all forms of discrimination. This program has been extended in 2001-2002. An additional effort by the authorities to establish a human rights culture has been reflected through the establishment of a national plan of action to promote a human rights culture in partnership with the different concerned stakeholders at the national level. Third, the government of Morocco, fully aware of the problem of school drop-outs particularly in rural areas, has taken the following measures: first to try to open up rural areas through electrification systems and drinking supply networks, the introduction of support infrastructures for the school enrollment of children from needy families including the establishment of boarding schools and school transport systems and special accommodation residence centers for girls. There has also been an increased in consolidation and access to primary school facilities and there are special schools which have been established for this purpose. Also, we are trying to ensure full exercise of the right to education and in this effort, the private sector has been involved to back up national policies. Concerning the question of ensuring the integration of disabled children in the school system, it is important to point out that work in this area fits into a general framework of support to school enrollment, the opening of integrated classes and training for teachers. Lastly, I would like to stress that Morocco has not only strongly supported the adoption of the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights and Dignity of disabled persons, but it also participated from the very outset in all of the stages of its development. Mr. President, and this is very important, concerning the teaching of amazigh, I would like to say that the program that has been introduced in this area shows clearly the wish of our government to promote the linguistic diversity set out in our charter which talks about the introduction of amazigh in the educational system. My country, like the Special Rapporteur, is aware of the challenges facing us. I would simply like to recall that my country is waging a long-time struggle to combat the scourge of school drop-outs and the following measures have been taken with a view to attaining the following objectives: firstly, to reduce the illiteracy rate to under 20% by the year 2010, the full eradication of this phenomenon by 2015, a guarantee of education for all children by the year 2010, a reduction in the rate of school supplies inadequacy. I must be disciplined, Mr. President, so I will close my statement with that. Thank you very much.