Morocco’s Education Ministry Says Regional Exams Conducted Smoothly Amid Reports of ‘Student Intimidation’

A human rights center alleged students were subject to psychological harm amid the use of anti-cheating devices in a “security-based” approach during the regional exams.

Rabat – Morocco’s Ministry of Education has said that regional unified exams for first-year baccalaureate students were conducted under satisfactory conditions.

The ministry thanked all educational and administrative stakeholders, stating that 570,696 students sat for the exam this session.

Regional exams took place earlier this week from June 1-2, with this session including 82.2% of enrolled students.

The ministry said that the exams were conducted in conditions that respected the principles of merit and equal opportunity.

“Exam security was reinforced through stricter measures to protect exam papers during reproduction, storage, and transportation,” the ministry said.

The ministry’s reassuring remarks came amid reports and concerns from human rights groups, who said the use of anti-cheating devices turned exam rooms into “environments resembling interrogation and intimidation.”

The Moroccan Center for Human Rights flagged alleged issues, including delays caused by the arrival of inspection committees with anti-cheating devices after students had already taken their seats.

According to the center, this resulted in the “forced loss of valuable exam time,” arguing that delays ranged from 15 to 40 minutes.

While the center reaffirmed it is in favor of all measures strengthening the credibility of national diplomas, it expressed its rejection of improvised and security-based approaches that undermine students’ dignity and severely damage equal opportunity.

For the center, similar measures cause psychological harm to students, holding the ministry “fully responsible for the psychological and academic harm.”

The ministry reported 4,929 cases of cheating during this session, representing a 167% increase compared to the June 2025 session.

The results for the exams will be announced on July 9.

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