French-Medium Science Education in Eastern Morocco

Authors

  • Mohammed CHERAI Laboratoire de Géosciences, Géo-environnement et Prospection Minière et Hydrique, Faculté des Sciences, 60000 Oujda, BP 717, Maroc Author
  • Omar Saadi Author https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1635-5784
  • Radouan Rabhi Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.19513281

Keywords:

Morocco, science education, French language, scientific bilingualism, learning difficulties, , didactics

Abstract

This research examines the perceptions of secondary school teachers in Eastern Morocco regarding the linguistic challenges associated with teaching science in French following the 2019 reform. Based on an online questionnaire administered to 200 science teachers, the results reveal a significant tension between the mastery of scientific concepts and their expression in French. While 68.8% of teachers believe their students have mastered specific scientific vocabulary, 59.4% note that errors in assessments stem more from a poor understanding of instructions than from a lack of conceptual knowledge.

The study highlights a cognitive duality phenomenon: 53.5% of teachers observe slightly more fluid and precise expression when students are allowed to respond in Arabic, and 75% confirm that a student who fails in French can perfectly explain the same scientific phenomenon in their mother tongue. Faced with these difficulties, 56.3% of teachers frequently resort to Arabic to explain complex concepts. These results call for an urgent reflection on educational strategy and the implementation of didactic tools adapted to the scientific bilingualism of Moroccan learners.

References

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Published

2026-03-31

How to Cite

French-Medium Science Education in Eastern Morocco. (2026). AFAQ RESEARCH HORIZONS, 1(1), 16-37. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.19513281

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