Youth unemployment in Morocco

Youth between the ages of 15 and 29 in Morocco account for about 30% of the population and 44% of the people who are of working age. This demographic situation is both an opportunity and a challenge. Young people are an important asset for the countrys human capital, and they can give impetus to turn the wheels of economic growth as they increase productivity, innovation and consumer demand. However, youth exclusion from economic and social fields in Morocco as is happening in the entire Arab region is preventing the country from reaping the benefits of this demographic blessing. Most of the unemployed youth in Morocco have either low education levels or havent studied at all, and employment policies still focus on higher education graduates. Those who are least educated are left without any help. The mediation agency in the labor market, namely the National Agency for the Promotion of Employment and Skills, is still not well-known among young people, and only 8% of unemployed youth have benefited from its services, according to a recent study conducted by the World Bank. The youth integration strategy adopted by Morocco aims to encourage the private sector to create employment opportunities by offering some tax exemptions to employers. It also aims to encourage the establishment of small enterprises through preferential loans for young entrepreneurs. Despite the importance of these initiatives, the main obstacle faced by this strategy remains the absence of a system to evaluate the impact and effectiveness of the achievement of its objectives. On the other hand, the available programs target unemployed university graduates, whose number is relatively limited compared to the total number of young unemployed and economically inactive people.

Comprehension:
A. Are these statements True or False? Justify. 1. Youth in Morocco represents 44% of the population 2. Young people are important for the economy and can help turn the wheels of economic growth 3. Employment in Morocco focuses on higher education graduates ... 4. The National Agency for the Promotion of Employment and Skills is very known among young people and more than 8% of youth benefits from its services . B. Complete the sentences. 1. Young people are important for the countrys human capital because .. .. 2. The youth integration strategy aims to ... C. Answer these questions. 1. What is the range specified for youth in Morocco? . 2. What does youth exclusion from economic and social fields cause to the country? . 3. What level of education does most of unemployed youth in Morocco have? .

4. What is the main obstacle that faces youth integration strategy? . D. Find in the text words or phrases that means the same as: 1. Dare (Paragraph 1) : .. 2. Tertiary education (Paragraph 2): .. 3. Purpose (Paragraph 3) : .. E. What do the underlined words in the text refer to? 1. They (Paragraph 1): 2. Its (Paragraph 2) :