Benkirane Slams Rumored Inclusion of ‘Shikhat’ in Higher Education Curriculum

Abdelilah Benkirane, the iconic head of the Justice and Development’s (PJD) and former Moroccan Head of Government, has slammed the current government’s plan to incorporate shikhat, performers who dance to Moroccan folk music, into higher education curriculum.

Benkirane lashed out at the government during his remarks at a regular session of the PJD’s national committee on July 7.

In his usual combative style, the PJD leader dramatically took issue with what he described as the cluelessness of Akhannouch and his cabinet in tackling some of the most pressing concerns facing Moroccans. In particular, Benkirane accused Akhannouch of appointing a Higher Education Minister who seeks to desecrate Morocco’s higher education by advocating for the inclusion of shikhat in the university curriculum.

“You brought in a Mr. who proposed including shikhat in university curricula. This person, shamelessly… I’m at a loss for words. I almost wish I could pass away and be forgotten before witnessing a Moroccan Higher Education Minister advocating for shikhat in the curriculum,” Benkirane said.

The PJD leader’s remark was a mocking allusion to Minister of Higher Education Abdellatif Miraoui’s frequent comments on the significance of shikhat and their iconic musical genre as an integral part of Moroccan heritage.

In 2022, Miraoui proposed teaching young Moroccans about the historical significance and value of this particular subculture in Morocco’s identity.

For the PJD leader, the proper place for shikhat is in popular ceremonies and celebrations, not in university classrooms.

“Whether we approve of shikhat or not, it’s none of your concern. Moroccans invite them to their ceremonies and celebrations; that should suffice. Now you wish to integrate them into our universities. What’s the benefit in this? Knowing their names won’t help us solve scientific or ethical dilemmas,” he fumed.

While the PJD Secretary General acknowledged the importance of this folk art, he urged Miraoui that his role as minister is not to tell Moroccans which part of their heritage or identity they should value.

“No one expects you to oppose or undermine them. Among them are both good and bad individuals, like all humans,” Benkirane said.

The former Head of Government argued that although shikhat as an art form is indeed an integral part of Morocco’s cultural heritage, this should not be part of the country’s education curriculum.

Benkirane further lashed out at the Akhannouch government for failing to effectively deal with recent protests by teachers and medical students, arguing that the government “knows neither reconciliation nor the opposite”

He fumed: “ You initially clashed with the education sector personnel, yet ended up conceding to their demands by adding MAD 1,500 to their wages… but simultaneously attempted to punish some of them. Why is that? There was no need for disciplinary measures if you reconciled. This pattern now repeats with medical students.”

The PJD leader’s concluding remark speaks to the lingering uncertainty that has engulfed Morocco’s education sector for months amid ongoing protests for better conditions.

Most recently, medical students refused to sit for exams as they accused the government of failing to address their demands after it decided to reduce the duration of medical studies from 7 to 6 years.

Abderrahim Chahid, leader of the Socialist Group (an opposition party), was one of the MPs who criticized the government for failing to appear before the Parliament to present a compelling case for its decision to reduce the length of medical studies.

Chahid notably described the government’s decision as “absurd,” expressing concern for the families of the students who he said are on the brink of an academic year without progress. Instead of constructive or reassuring answers to their children’s demands, he lamented, these families are met with silence and indifference.