One-Fifth of Moroccan Population Aged 15-24: HCP

As the world celebrated International Youth Day on August 12, the High Commission for Planning (HCP) published a survey of socio-economic demographics of Moroccans aged 15 to 24, on the basis of the 2014 General Population and Housing Census.

The survey showed that young people aged between 15 and 24 represented one-fifth of the Moroccan population in 2014. They numbered around 6.03 million in 2004, down from 6.09 million in 2014.

With 19.1 percent of 10- to 24-year-olds, the Casablanca-Settat region had the kingdom’s largest youth population in 2014. Marrakech-Safi region was second with 13.5 percent, followed by Rabat-Sale-Kenitra (13.2 percent) and Fes-Meknes (12.6 percent).

On the other hand, the Guelmin-Oued Noun, Layouune-Sakia El Hamra, and Dakhla-Oued Ed Dahab regions recorded the lowest numbers of youth population: 1.3 percent, 1.1 percent and 0.3 percent respectively.

The number of young people who were married increased by 16.6 percent in 2014, compared to 14 percent in 2004.

29.2 percent of 15-24 years-old girls had their first marriage, while only 3.8 percent of men got married in 2014.

In 2014 the rate of illiteracy among young people in Morocco reached 11.0 percent. The HCP noted that young people are globally less exposed to illiteracy, although there are disparities between them in terms of gender and place of residence.

HCP’s survey showed that the difference in illiteracy between young men and women is considerably reduced when one moves from rural to urban areas. It found that 14.8 percent of girls are illiterate compared to 7.2 percent of boys.

Illiteracy rates among young people aged 15 to 24 ranged from 4.0 percent in Laayoune-Sakia El Hamra to 13.3 percent in Beni Mellal-Khénifra region.

The report showcased that 28.8 percent of young people aged between 15 and 24 received no education in 2004, compared to only 10.1 percent in 2014. 24.8 percent had finished primary education, while 29.6 percent had completed middle school education in 2014.

The source added that 14.6 percent of students had access to high school education, while 10 percent had their higher education in the same year.

In 2014, 69.5 percent of young men received middle school or tertiary education (compared to 52.1 per cent in 2004). Young girls education increased by 59.0 percent, compared with 39.1

percent in 2004. 14 percent of young girls had no education, compared with 6.1 percent of young boys.

22.9 percent of young boys had finished primary education, compared with 26.8 percent of girls.

4.3 percent of non-educated youth live in urban areas in 2014, compared to 18.4 percent in rural areas.

Nearly one-third of urban youths had their high school degrees, compared with 11.8 percent of rural youth. Only 3.7 percent of rural youth reached higher education levels in 2014, compared with 14.3 percent among urban youth.

Source: BNA