Languages and Medium of Instruction in Education

This chapter tackles the issue of language and medium of instruction in education which has been a major topic for debates in political and academic circles in Morocco. It discusses how while some stakeholders and scholars are calling for replacing French with English medium instruction (EMI), other nationalist voices are expressing concerns over the relegation of local languages (Arabic and Amazigh) in education and society at large. Yet again, the argument for embracing English is partly driven by some nationalist rhetorics that stress that the colonial presence of the French language is thwarting the country’s development. Thus, English is presented as an ‘effective’ solution to the crises in the education system on the grounds of (a) its instrumentality and socioeconomic capital and (b) its non-association with any colonial policy in the country. This reasoning, which turns a blind eye to the root causes of the crises in education, may aggravate the core issues that have precipitated the public’s dissatisfaction with education. This chapter unpacks the complexities accompanying EMI in Morocco and delivers a nuanced understanding of the sociocultural and sociopolitical conditions that shape the intersection of language, education and politics in the country.