Higher Education Credentialing Lifelong Learning; King Mohammed VI African Institute, Marrakech Framework and 2030 Agenda

• In Event: Higher Education Credentialing Educational Leaders to Boost Inclusive Education Through Systemic Culturally Responsive Methodologies

Abstract

The professional challenge this presentation addresses is taken from the Morocco Country Strategic Plan 2019-2021 and Vision 2015 - 2030. Economic and social reforms have contributed significantly to Morocco’s progress in eradicating extreme poverty and eliminating hunger, reducing the percentage of people living in situations of extreme poverty or food poverty to almost zero. Access to food is generally guaranteed in Morocco, but malnutrition, long-term food security and sustainable agriculture, water and sanitation need addressing. The rise in food security and prospects for further improvements depend on national efforts to reduce inequalities, vulnerability and disparities in income among regions through education outcomes. The objective is to offer the Morocco perspective on goals to inform effective and efficient investment in quality education measured by results, outcomes and impact at every level of the education system for social justice. This is mobilised with an institutional communication infrastructure and theoretical framework called to action; Professional Educators and Administrators Committees for Empowerment ‘PEACE’. PEACE agenda’s participatory research in classrooms with teachers, students and parents from early-years to Lifelong learning centres, empowers personal and social self-management to deliver the goals. Education Outcomes include students’ spiritual understandings and socio-emotional and physical wellbeing for resilience within sustainable circular, entrepreneurial, green and digitised economies with products and means of production regulated by professions credentialed and ratified by Higher Education for social justice. This includes multi-faculty knowledge exchange through the PEACE with communities to build Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in cooperatives with social contracts hallmarked by solidarity that build agricultural value-chains. Moroccan communities culturally relevant education outcomes include optimizing i) crop yields and ii) crops’ nutritional value to end malnutrition. This includes teaching how to optimise soil quality with indicators for achieving healthy soils by 2030. As Uchi (2023) identifies, meeting such education outcomes improve ethical and sustainable market systems with community feedback loops using mobile phones (see SDG 5) for hastening the adoption and spread of advances in technology for bottom-up, grassroots democratic engagement and empowerment to build the ability of all stakeholders. Diverse communities can develop responsible historical social consciousness to reinvigorate peace, democratic governance, accountability, transparency, effectiveness, competitiveness and trustworthiness of rule-of-law based institutions and policies to expand active and inclusive citizenship, safeguarding human rights, boosting inclusion and rediscovering Moroccan peoples’ gifts.
This proposal harmonises with King Mohammed VI of Morocco ‘African Institute for Lifelong Learning’ mobilising existing HE institutions in Morocco, Africa and beyond to promote Lifelong learning in The Marrakech Framework. Warrants for claims include Moroccan people needing to gain financial security, food security and water security. These goals are impeded by lack of access to education, especially higher education and lifelong learning as the rate of illiteracy and dropout among the poor, especially in rural areas and among girls and women, entrenches them further. Possibilities are explored as stated in the strategic vision 2015-2030 by involving all stakeholders in building solutions. Our objectives seek an evaluation of this endeavour and how goals of the Marrakech framework have been met so far.

Authors

• Abdelaziz Zohri, University Hassan First of Settat

• Alison Sheila Taysum, National University of Ireland - Maynooth

• Daniel W. Eadens, University of Central Florida

• Khalid Husny Arar, Texas State University