Getting a driver’s license in Morocco is becoming very difficult

The new NARSA reform announced on March 4 is not well received by candidates, professionals and instructors. Not all candidates have passed the driving test, which has caused unprecedented congestion in the sector. Instructor Hafid, owner of the Haj Hafid driving school in Fez, provides the background to this reform to Hespress. "All the professionals in the sector certainly remember the incident that occurred in 2014, when an infiltration of the exam questions to obtain the driver’s license had shaken public confidence and the authorities. Following this incident, an investigation was conducted by the supervisory ministry, and it was in this context that NARSA was born. Its primary objective was to better control and secure the sector," he explains, adding that they had "started working on a question bank, which had 600 questions." He continues: "Recently, NARSA has considered increasing this number to 1,000, eliciting mixed reactions from unions and officials. They fear, rightly, that this increase will further disrupt the candidates."

A change in the computerization of the driving test has caused irritation among instructors and professionals in the sector. "Although we have already adopted a computer system in our driving schools, NARSA has created an additional platform to monitor and evaluate the candidates. This platform in particular requires 20 hours of learning, scrutinizes the candidate’s commitment and attendance, and requires NARSA approval to take the exam." These changes have prompted professionals in the sector to hold sit-ins and demonstrations to make themselves heard. "Unfortunately, our demands have remained unanswered for a certain time. After multiple calls to review these reforms, NARSA has finally decided to make access to this platform optional," laments the owner of one of the oldest driving schools in Fez.

This reform, initially scheduled for February 18, National Road Safety Day, before being postponed to March 18, is not to the liking of professionals in the sector. And for good reason, "NARSA’s promises have not been kept, and driving schools have not received any educational tools to accompany this change," Hafid fumes, explaining that "NARSA has imposed restrictions on the use of vehicles in driving schools, limiting their operating time to 10 years and setting a quota of 12 candidates per vehicle." He will add: "Moreover, even the oldest in the sector are called upon to retake the exam to obtain the instructor’s card, with a final exam requiring a score of 25/30. In case of failure, the instructor’s card would be revoked."

"All these modifications, imposed without consultation or discussion, call into question our rights and our professionalism. Even the specifications have been modified, adding to the confusion and uncertainty that currently prevail in our sector," denounces Hafid.