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Rabat – Al Akhawayn University in Ifrane has allocated 30 merit scholarships for students whose parents are on the frontlines of Morocco’s fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
The scholarships would benefit candidates with one or two parents operating in the fields of health, education, and public authority.
The public university announced the initiative in a press release on Wednesday, August 12.
The initiative is “in line with the momentum of national mobilization and solidarity observed in the management of the COVID-19 pandemic and in recognition of the considerable efforts made by health, education, and the public authority,” the press release said.
“These women and men show professionalism, self-sacrifice, and generosity in their service to all Moroccans,” Abdessamad Fatmi, the dean of student affairs at the university, commented about frontline workers.
“But beyond their responsibilities as professionals, we should not forget that they are mothers and fathers, who are, very often, required to make enormous sacrifices so that their children reach levels of academic excellence and build a promising future,” Fatmi added.
The scholarships also “symbolize recognition for the enormous sacrifices made by these parents,” he concluded.
Applications for the scholarships are open on Al Akhawayn University’s website until September 4.
Al Akhawayn University’s social engagement
The social initiative is not the first that the university has launched in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the press release, Al Akhawayn University has already contributed MAD 3 million ($325,000) to socio-economic initiatives.
The donation includes a package of direct aid to needy families in the Ifrane region, as well as a second part for Morocco’s special COVID-19 fund. The contribution included donations from professors, staff, students, and alumni, the press release concluded.
Inaugurated in 1995 by King Hassan II and then-Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia Abdullah bin Abdulaziz, Al Akhawayn University is one of the most prestigious highest education institutions in Morocco.
It is known for its campus located within Morocco’s Middle Atlas mountains. It also provides education in English, as opposed to French in the majority of Moroccan universities.
