Morocco Sets 8 AM Start for Classes Under New Official Legal Time

Agadir – Morocco’s Ministry of National Education, Preschool, and Sports has announced Wednesday the new class schedules that will begin at 8:00 a.m. as part of adjustments to the country’s new official legal time.

In a statement addressed to the regional directors of academies for education and training, the ministry said the measure applies to the 2026-2027 academic year and follows the provisions of Decree No. 2.26.530, issued on June 25concerning Morocco’s legal time.

The new legal time will take effect on September 20, when Morocco will permanently return to Greenwich Mean Time (GMT), setting clocks back by 60 minutes at 2:00 a.m. and ending the GMT+1 system introduced in 2018. The switch requires public institutions and other sectors to adjust their schedules accordingly.

The ministry said school timetables must be organized in accordance with the new legal time while respecting existing educational and organizational rules governing school schedules and teaching hours.

“In this context, class schedules are to be programmed starting at 8:00 a.m. across all educational institutions,” the statement said.

The ministry explained that the measure aims to ensure the effective management of school and learning periods while allowing schools to fulfill the required instructional hours for each subject and educational level.

Educational institutions have been instructed to take the necessary measures to prepare timetables in line with the new provisions and ensure the normal continuation of classes.

The ministry also called on schools to consider local circumstances when organizing schedules, particularly in rural areas, while remaining within the applicable regulatory framework.

“Accordingly, I call upon each of you within your area of expertise to take all necessary procedures and measures to guarantee that classes start at 8:00 a.m., securing school and learning time in the best interests of the students,” the statement concluded.