Rivermont Collegiate, an Iowa-based preparatory school for students two years old through 12th grade, has unveiled plans to launch partner schools in Morocco, the American newspaper Quad-City Times reported today.
The move comes as Rivermont seeks to expand its international collaborations, having already established dual-degree agreements with educational institutions in China.
The upcoming partnership in Morocco is set to launch in the fall of 2024, Quad-City Times quoted Rivermont Headmaster Max Roach as saying.
Roach emphasized that these collaborations are not just about mutual benefit but also about enhancing Rivermont’s prestige on the world stage.
“In each of these partnerships, the goal is to find out what they’re looking for and give it to them,” he explained, highlighting the “services, expertise, and resources” the Rivermont provides these schools.
In turn, the partnerships, which are based on “mutual credit recognition,” help Rivermornt enhance the school’s international reputation, Roach said.
During the 2017-2018 school year, Rivermornt established a dual-degree agreement with the Beijing No. 2 School, which is recognized as one of China’s top educational institutions.
Besides Morocco, the institution, which was founded in 1884, plans to launch partner schools in South Korea too.
In recent years, Morocco has been actively pursuing partnerships with international schools and universities in the global education landscape, particularly those in the United Kingdom.
These efforts align with Morocco’s commitment to reinforcing English language teaching in the country with the aim of transforming the country’s education system.
The Moroccan government’s focus on expanding English language proficiency reflects the growing importance of English as the de facto global language. It also echoes the demands of many Moroccans who have called for the adoption of English — in replacement of French — as the country’s first foreign language.