The Settat Province has witnessed significant controversy following the dissemination of statements attributed to the province’s governor, which included remarks deemed inappropriate towards the regional director of the Ministry of National Education. These statements, circulated on social media, have raised a wave of questions regarding the limits of powers granted to both local authority officials and representatives of sectoral ministries at the local level.
The governor, representing central authority in the province, directly criticized the regional director during an official meeting, prompting debate over whether these statements align with the legal role of the governor, which, according to Article 145 of the Moroccan Constitution, is limited to coordinating decentralized interests without intervening in their administrative jurisdictions.
In response, several legal and political actors have called on the Ministry of Interior to intervene to clarify the relationship between territorial administrations and ministerial departments, especially since this incident reflects broader challenges in administrative coordination within the framework of advanced regionalization that Morocco seeks to establish.
The statements have sparked a discussion about the autonomy of regional and provincial directorates under the Ministry of National Education and the roles of governors and prefects in managing shared files. While some have demanded an official apology from the governor, others believe that this issue requires a national dialogue to reassess roles and powers among various institutions to ensure effective administration and serve the public good.
“Education Administration Under Scrutiny: Does the Relationship Between Authorities Require Reorganization?”
The incident has opened up broader questions about how to ensure respect for the legal competencies of each entity and avoid any clashes that could impact administrative operations and services provided to citizens.