National Baccalaureate Exams Start Across Morocco

Casablanca – National baccalaureate exams kicked off today in Morocco and will continue from 4-6 June for the ordinary session. The results are expected to be shared on June 17, while the retake session is scheduled almost a month later, on 2-4 July.

According to figures released by the Ministry of National Education, a total of 528,135 candidates are registered for this year’s baccalaureate exams, including 426,637 enrolled students and 101,498 independent candidates, marking an increase of roughly 25,000 candidates compared to 2025. Scientific streams account for the largest share of candidates at approximately 71%, followed by literary streams at 29%, while vocational programs represent less than 1%. Students from private schools make up nearly 11% of all candidates.

To accommodate the exams, authorities have mobilized nearly 2,000 examination centers and around 26,000 exam rooms, with more than 2,000 center directors and 2,000 observers supervising the process, alongside around 100,000 teachers assigned to invigilation duties and 32,000 graders. The ministry has also prepared roughly 600 exam papers for both the ordinary and make-up sessions, including 80 adapted versions for students with special educational needs.

Earlier in May, the Minister of National Education, Preschool and Sports, Mohamed Saad Berrada, announced the partial introduction of a new digital monitoring system that aims to improve exams management and reduce administrative errors. Each candidate will receive a unique identifier and a QR code to track every stage of the exams process, including correction, from start to finish, he explained.

To prevent cheating, the ministry has deployed 2,000 new electronic detection devices that can identify active mobile phones in exam rooms.

The measures have sparked criticism from the Moroccan Center for Human Rights, which warned that the use of electronic detection devices could create an atmosphere of “intimidation” inside exam halls. The organization said reports from several regions indicated that inspections conducted after students had taken their seats resulted in delays ranging from 15 to 40 minutes, reducing the time available for some candidates to complete their exams. While reaffirming its support for efforts to combat cheating, the group called for measures that preserve students’ dignity and equal opportunities.

Beyond the logistical measures, health experts are warning about the potential impact of rising temperatures on students sitting the exams. Health researchers explained that cognitive and clinical effects begin to appear when classroom temperatures reach 28°C to 30°C, causing the brain to divert energy to regulating body temperature. As a result, this reduces working memory efficiency, information-processing speed, and general concentration levels.

Forecasts indicate that temperatures could surpass 28°C throughout the exams period in several parts of the country, including Marrakech, Ouarzazate, Nador, and Errachidia, raising concerns about the impact of heat on students’ performance.

Health experts warn that such conditions may not only affect concentration and performance but also deepen inequalities between candidates sitting the same nationally unified examination under very different climatic conditions.