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Chtouka Aït Baha: the provincial education commission proposes solutions for social support services to schooling.
Gathered under the chairmanship of the provincial governor, the commission examined rural school transportation, which serves more than 23,000 students, as well as boarding facilities and school health programmes.
The provincial education commission held, on Monday morning, a meeting devoted to examining a series of issues related to the situation of the education sector and the accompanying social services.
During this meeting, attended by the heads of the concerned sectoral services, the president of the provincial council and representatives of the local authority, as well as the representative of the study office, the governor of the province, Mr. Mohamed Salem Sebti, emphasized the continuous royal concern for the education and training system, considered a key lever for enhancing human capital, development and strengthening equal opportunities.
The governor indicated that this meeting, which coincides with the start of the new school year, provides an opportunity to assess the sector’s situation, particularly the social support services for schooling in the province’s various areas, and to seek ways to improve them in order to develop the educational offering and reduce school dropout, especially in rural areas.
A presentation was given on the specification model for managing the rural school transport service, through a sector diagnosis, possible management modes and a roadmap aimed at improving the situation. More than 23,000 students in the province benefit from the school transport fleet. The progress of the study office’s work on a comprehensive sector study was also presented.
The meeting also featured presentations on the situation of social services offered in dormitories and student houses, regarding accommodation, catering and tutoring, for students from rural areas, particularly those from vulnerable backgrounds. These services now require a series of measures to improve their performance and overcome the institutional, managerial and financing constraints they face. A presentation also covered the various school health programs.
The governor affirmed that school transport is the central topic of the commission’s work, recalling that the province has been a pioneer for over a year in opening the debate on the appropriate governance mechanism, with a consensus around creating a local development company, a first study having been launched in this regard. It was also emphasized that the commission will hold its meetings periodically to ensure monitoring and implementation of the various proposed programmes.