Join on WhatsApp
Join on Telegram
Rabat – 1337 School, a coding school founded by OCP Group and Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P), has topped a programming contest that took place from September 19-21.
The Moroccan Collegiate Programming Contest (MCPC) took place at the UM6P College of Computing in Rabat, bringing together 44 teams from 31 institutions across 17 Moroccan cities.
Initially, the competition received 72 applications from teams that sought to take part in the contest. Only 44 teams made it as part of the selection process.
The final ranking of the competition placed 1337 School at the top, followed by the Mohammadia School of Engineers (EMI) and National School of Applied Sciences (ENSA) in Oujda.
ENSA in Agadir ranked fourth, and UM6P CC ranked sixth.
Jalal Maaouni, a 1337 alumnus and former contest enthusiast, coordinated training at the school.
A statement from OCP Group said Maaouni guided the school’s four teams with mock contests, peer-learning code reviews, and real-condition simulations.
“We finally put an end to a frustration that burned within us for seven years – always within reach, never in our hands. From day one at 1337, our eyes were set on the MCPC trophy,” he said.
He emphasized that “real results” demand patience, stating that the 1337 school students proved many, who labeled them as just a “coding school,” wrong.
Ibrahim Mountasser, a member of the 1337 team that ranked first in the competition, said winning the MCPC “means a lot to us.”
“Seeing two 1337 teams take the gold felt surreal. The last edition was in 2021- we finished second, so close… This year, we had to win. In the end, it was an amazing day,” he said.
The competition also served as a qualifier for the Africa and Arab Collegiate Programming Championship (ACPC). The competition will take place in Egypt in December next year.
Six Moroccan teams qualified for the ACPC. The Egypt competition is also a gateway to the ICPC World Finals.
“More than just a competition, this final reflects a growing and strengthening ecosystem: Institutions that invest, coaches – often alumni and former contests- who pass on methods and rigor, and students who learn to think faster, code better, and collaborate more effectively,”” the statement said.
