Rabat, Morocco (TMT)- Dr. Ahmed Raïssouni, the former head of the Uniqueness and Reform Movement, the preaching branch of Morocco’s Justice and Development party, has called Mr. Rachid Belmokhtar, the Minister of Higher Education, Scientific Research and Training the “worst Minister of Education in the history of Morocco since Mohammed Benhima” in a Facebook post on his Facebook page, on the sidelines of Mr. Rachid Belmokhtar issuing a circular to Moroccan high schools urging them to teach some scientific subjects in the French language.
According to Raïssouni, the Moroccan Minister of Education “has spared no effort, has missed no opportunity, and has tried no trick to expunge the Arabic language from the educational system in Morocco, or at least marginalize it in the face of empowering the French language. In this regard, he is the worst Minister of Education in the history of Morocco since Mohamed Benhima, who is his biggest ideal and model.”
“Belmokhtar acknowledged once that he does not know how to speak Arabic, meaning that he does not know its value. This said, how dare he give his opinion on it if he does not even know its value, its identity and its historical representation to Moroccans? “Raïssouni wondered.
“The Moroccan constitution states boldly that Arabic is the official language of Morocco. The Constitution also stresses on the necessity to protect Arabic and seek mechanisms to expand its usage. But the decision of this non-Arab Minister [He used the Arabic word Aajami, أعجمي] goes in opposition to the Moroccan constitution, the most supreme law in the country,” Raïssouni stressed.
Dr. Raïssouni is calling for the adoption of English and Arabic as the main education languages in Morocco, including the ousting of the French as it is a “dying language” as he once put it.
It is worth reminding that Dr. Ahmed Raïssouni is also the vice president of the World Association of Muslim Scholars. He is currently teaching in Qatar, Morocco and various other countries.
The Moroccan Times.
