Study examines trainers' leadership in Marrakech-Safi

Mounia Merdani and Abdelkrim Zitouni published a qualitative study on August 5, 2026 examining how transformational leadership by directors shapes trainers’ sense of self-efficacy inside Morocco’s vocational training system. The paper focused on the Office de la Formation Professionnelle et de la Promotion du Travail, or OFPPT, in the regions of Drâa-Tafilalet and Marrakech-Safi. It was published in Vol. 8 No. 2 of the Moroccan Journal of Quantitative and Qualitative Research. The study adds a management and workplace lens to debates over vocational training performance in Morocco. ### Which institutions and regions does the study cover? The OFPPT is Morocco’s public vocational training operator, and its website says the institution works on trainer skills improvement as part of its broader training mission. Merdani and Zitouni placed their study inside that system, looking specifically at OFPPT sites in Drâa-Tafilalet and Marrakech-Safi. The Moroccan Journal of Quantitative and Qualitative Research lists the article under its 2026 second volume issue, identifying the full title as “Transformational Leadership and Self-efficacy of Trainers: A Qualitative Exploration across the DrâaTafilalet and Marrakech-Safi Regions of the OFPPT.” The journal describes itself as a peer-reviewed interdisciplinary publication focused on social issues and development challenges. (revues.imist.ma) (ofppt.ma) ### Who did the researchers interview? The paper used semi-structured interviews with 17 participants, consisting of five directors and 12 trainers, according to the article record and downloadable paper listing. That sample was designed to capture both the leadership side and the trainer side of the relationship being studied. The researchers said the aim was to explore “perceptions and representations” tied to directors’ transformational leadership and trainers’ perceived self-efficacy. (revues.imist.ma) Because the study was qualitative, it was built around reported experiences rather than a large numerical survey. ### What was the study trying to measure? The article centered on transformational leadership, a management concept that examines how leaders influence motivation, commitment and professional behavior. (revues.imist.ma) In this case, the authors linked that framework to trainers’ perceived self-efficacy — their confidence in carrying out teaching and training tasks inside vocational institutions. The downloadable paper says the study sought to fill what the authors described as gaps in the literature by focusing on lived experience within professional training at OFPPT. That framing matters because much of the broader research on leadership and self-efficacy has focused on schools or universities rather than vocational training centers. ### Why does a qualitative study matter here? (revues.imist.ma) Seventeen participants is a small sample for statistical claims, but the authors did not present the work as a national measurement exercise. The paper instead offers interview-based evidence about how trainers and directors describe leadership practices and professional confidence in two regions. The journal’s scope statement says it publishes research tied to public policy, social equity and territorial development. (revues.imist.ma) That places the article in a policy-facing setting, even though the paper itself is a qualitative exploration rather than an administrative reform plan. ### What can readers verify directly from the publication record? August 5, 2026 is the publication date listed for Vol. 8 No. 2 of the journal issue carrying the article. (revues.imist.ma) The issue page names Mounia Merdani and Abdelkrim Zitouni as the authors and links the paper in English PDF format. The article record and PDF excerpt state the core design details directly: OFPPT, two Moroccan regions, semi-structured interviews, and 17 total participants. (revues.imist.ma) Readers looking for the next step can find the full paper in the 2026 archive of the Moroccan Journal of Quantitative and Qualitative Research, where the article appears in Vol. 8 No. 2. (revues.imist.ma)