Inequalities in Higher Education and the New Development Model

Abstract

The success of Morocco’s New Development Model (NDM) hinges on the enhancement of human capital, with higher education serving as a key driver of productivity. However, despite a gross enrollment rate of 43% in 2021, the higher education system continues to be characterized by deep disparities. This article aims to fill a gap in the literature by moving beyond general observations to precisely identify, through an empirical approach, the multidimensional determinants that govern access to the two poles of the Moroccan system (open-access versus regulated/selective).

The methodology is based on a quantitative survey conducted among a sample of individuals. We employ Multiple Correspondence Analysis (MCA) — a factorial analysis method applied to qualitative variables — to examine the interplay among five key variables: gender, previous schooling trajectory (public vs. Private), parental income, parents’ sector of activity, and the type of higher education institution attended.

The results, centered on the first factorial axis which accounts for 69.38% of the total inertia, reveal clear social discrimination. There is a strong statistical correspondence between high parental income, a pre-baccalaureate education in the private sector, and access to regulated (selective) higher education tracks. Conversely, students from public-sector backgrounds and modest-income families are overwhelmingly directed toward open-access faculties. These findings demonstrate that the current dual structure of the education system functions as a mechanism for reproducing inequalities, thereby undermining the inclusiveness objectives promoted by the New Development Model.

Classification JEL: I24

Paper type: Empirical Research