The Digital Lab of National Education in Morocco has launched a Call for Expressions of Interest (CEI) aimed at integrating innovative digital solutions (edtech) into the Moroccan educational system. This initiative targets both national and international actors specialized in educational technologies (EdTech).

The Digital Lab, established in November 2023, is the result of a partnership between the Ministry of National Education, Preschool and Sports (MENPS), the Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF), the Ministry of Digital Transition and Administrative Reform (MTNRA), and the Deposit and Management Fund (CDG). It aims to achieve the objectives of the MENPS’s 2022–2026 Roadmap and the National Digital Development Strategy developed by the MTNRA.

The Digital Lab serves as a collaborative platform bringing together public and private actors, both national and international, to develop and deploy digital solutions accessible to all Moroccan students. The goal is to create a dynamic and innovative Moroccan EdTech ecosystem capable of becoming a leader in Africa and the MENA region.

The digital solutions developed within the framework of the Digital Lab will address the main pedagogical challenges of the educational reform in Morocco, such as remediation and academic support, strengthening language skills, digitalizing lessons, as well as assessing and monitoring academic achievements. The Digital Lab will operate in three modes: acquisition of existing solutions, adaptation of existing solutions to the needs of National Education, and development of new specific solutions. Only solutions demonstrating their effectiveness after an impact assessment will be deployed on a large scale.

The selection process is open to national and international EdTech actors who demonstrate innovation capacity and proven achievements in the field. Projects that add value to Morocco and have a positive impact on the Moroccan EdTech ecosystem will be favored.

The Digital Lab will serve as a catalyst for the development of startups aiming to make a positive impact on Moroccan society. It will enable them to meet the needs of the national educational system and co-develop solutions in partnership with stakeholders. Startups will benefit from technical and financial support to develop their solutions, test them in school settings, validate their pedagogical effectiveness, and deploy them on a large scale. This represents a significant asset for the development of startups and the strengthening of their competitiveness.

The CEI is accessible on the websites of the MENPS, MTNRA, and CDG. Interested parties are invited to submit their application files no later than September 15, 2024. Webinars will be organized to share information and answer questions about the Digital Lab.