• Pioneer Schools using TARL now reach 1.3M students, or 30% of primary learners

• Math scores quadrupled; Arabic doubled; French tripled, per government data

• Morocco boosts education budget to $8.5B to scale reform nationwide

Morocco’s education reform, launched in 2022, has shown significant early success, largely driven by the implementation of the “Teaching at the Right Level” (TARL) method. On May 19, 2025, Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch presented an initial review of the program to the House of Representatives.

At the core of this reform are 2,626 “Pioneer Schools” serving 1.3 million students, nearly 30% of Morocco’s primary school population. These schools apply the TARL approach, developed by Indian NGO Pratham, which focuses on teaching students based on actual skill level rather than age or grade.

Government data show sharp improvements: academic performance has quadrupled in mathematics, doubled in Arabic, and tripled in French. These gains are equivalent to an additional one to two school years of learning, according to estimates presented by Akhannouch.

Before the reform, Morocco faced persistent educational challenges, especially in rural areas. A 2019 World Bank report indicated that 66% of Moroccan 10-year-olds could not read and understand a simple passage, slightly better than the MENA average but still concerning.

The TARL method aims to reverse this trend by emphasizing foundational skills and individualized instruction. The government now plans to expand the initiative nationwide. The education budget is set to rise to $8.5 billion in 2025, up from $6.8 billion in 2019, with an additional annual investment of $950 million through 2027.

Officials stress that sustained teacher training and regional adaptation will be critical to long-term success. Upcoming evaluations will assess the durability and reach of this ongoing reform effort.