Moroccan Medical Students Continue to Boycott School Despite Suspensions

Medical students in Morocco are continuing to boycott classes despite the government's restrictive measures aiming to end their strike.

Rabat – Medical students in Morocco are continuing to boycott classes despite the government’s restrictive measures aiming to end their strike.

Since the start of the school year, medicine students have been boycotting exams and organizing protests in opposition to recently implemented government reforms. Students have especially taken issue with the implemented one-year reduction to the standard seven-year training program.

In a post on their official Facebook page, the National Commission for Medicine Students in Morocco said that 52 students nationwide were referred to disciplinary committees over their involvement in strikes.

The commission described the disciplinary actions as being based on “baseless charges of incitement” and other “false” accusations that have been directed against the representatives.

It further called on medicine students to “rally around their representatives” and to “ensure the success of all outlined protest steps in the coming days.”

Last month, the government addressed some of the demands of the students in an attempt to quell the protests. The Ministries of Health and Higher Education announced an increase in compensation for sixth-year medical students pursuing a Doctor of Medicine (MD), equivalent to the compensation for the final year under the previous system.

However, both ministries said they would not be backrolling on the decision to maintain the six-year medical program. Students say they’re concerned about the impact the reduction would have on the overall quality of education and training.

Regarding the employment of MD graduates, the two ministries said they can work in Regional Health Groups without any commitment, allowing them to continue or resign from their positions without constraints.

They added that reforms to the curriculum for specialized training in medicine, pharmacy, and dentistry are set to be implemented by January 2025, maintaining both the internal and residency tracks.