Morocco: Higher education union joins growing protests

The National Union of Higher Education (SNEsup) called for a 2-day strike on October 7t^h and ^8th to protest against the ’59-24 Bill’, according to RFI on October 8th, lending its voice to the growing GenZ 212 Moroccan protest movement.

Mustapha Azaitraoui, vice-secretary General of SNESup, denounced the ‘59.24 Bill’, a project to turn higher education access into a privilege reserved for only those who can afford it. Following this, the SNEsup announced its support the for the Moroccan protest movement, GenZ 212, which demands equal opportunities and a quality education.

The ‘59.24 Bill’, presented by the Moroccan government, aims to reform the higher education sector, with important changes to university funding and governance. In particular, the new law would allow universities to invest in private businesses and generate their own income, as well as open the higher education sector to foreign investors. It also includes provisions to place universities under the supervision of Boards of Trustees, which would include local and regional officials.

Students and higher education professionals accuse the government of trying to privatise the education sector and to weaken the independence of universities.

According to the SNEsup syndicate, these reforms would ultimately end tuition-free university access. Unions also denounce the degradation of working conditions with shortages of staff in some areas, poor infrastructure and a chronic lack of resources.

These strikes follow similar actions in September and meetings between unions and government representatives that failed to produce any concrete results.

Healthcare and education are at the core of the demands of the GenZ 212 youth movement, which calls for fairer access and better quality of public services. A lack of government response and violent repression against protesters has led to heightened emotions, with an increasing number of public sector workers joining in solidarity. Large demonstrations are expected to take place on October 9th.