GENIE

The GENIE program is one type of operational implementation of the national strategy to generalize Information Technology and Communication in Education (ICTE). It is based on four main components: infrastructure, teacher training, digital resources and development of uses.

The Government has adopted in March 2005 a strategy aimed at the widespread use of ICTs in public education. Its implementation at the primary and secondary education levels should help ensure access to ICTs facilities and services to more than 22% of the Moroccan population, with appropriate content, throughout the Kingdom of Morocco.

The GENIE program is the operational dimension of this ICTs generalization strategy. Launched in early 2006 and revised in 2009, the program, which covers all schools in Morocco, comes in four main areas:

  • Infrastructure: Installation of Internet-connected multimedia environments;
  • Teacher training: several training modules are provided for inspectors, principals and teachers;
  • Digital Resources: acquisition of digital resources and the creation of a digital resources national laboratory and a national ICT portal;
  • Usage development: providing good support to users.

The new GENIE program roadmap entails the deployment coverage of schools over five years. From 2009 to 2013, 9260 will be covered.

In consultation with the Ministry of National Education and Professional Training, the ANRT launched a consultation with operators of Public Telecommunications Networks (ERPT) to equip 939 schools with 629 connections.

Five Universal Telecommunications Service conventions have been signed with five operators (CIMECOM, ITTISALAT Al-Maghrib, MEDI TELECOM, SPACECOM and WANA CORPORATE). Deployment began in October 2010 and was completed in May 2011.

Training of teachers and staff is essential to the program's success. The new road program has provided training to nearly 208,000 people (Teachers, Teacher Trainees, Directors and Inspectors) over the 2009-2013 period. In 2011, more than 140,000 teachers and school staff have received training.

A series of digital resources were acquired in 2010 and made available to schools already equipped. For facilities equipped in the same year, ERPTs provided computers preinstalled with these digital resources. Thus, more than 136,000 CD-ROMs have been acquired, 520 inspectors trained and 20,000 teachers supervised by inspectors.

The axis of development practices is something new introduced following the revision of the GENIE program strategy in 2009. The goal is to ensure a good accompaniment to users through four components:

  • Awareness;
  • Information and demonstrations;
  • Support;
  • Monitoring and evaluation.

Thus, eight regional forums were held in 2010. 32 local workshops were held and more than 2,000 participants took part in the educational seminars and workshops.