The Moroccan Ministry of National Education, Preschool, and Sports has directed regional education authorities to coordinate with the Ministry of Health and Social Protection to launch a nationwide measles vaccination campaign in schools starting Monday, February 3, 2025.
In an official circular obtained by Hespress, Minister Mohammed Saad Berrada emphasized the importance of ensuring a smooth vaccination process by providing adequate facilities, preventing overcrowding, and mobilizing school staff to assist medical teams. He stressed that the vaccine has been proven safe and effective through extensive clinical studies, ensuring both individual and collective protection.
A key provision in the directive, which has sparked debate on social media, states that students whose parents refuse vaccination will be excluded from school in the event of an outbreak to protect them from the highly contagious disease. Additionally, schools identified as infection hotspots will be closed based on recommendations from health authorities.
For individual cases that do not constitute an outbreak, the minister mandated that infected students be temporarily removed from school, with parents informed and required to keep their children at home until full recovery is confirmed.
To maintain educational continuity, remote learning will be implemented for students affected by school closures or exclusions due to vaccination refusal. The ministry will coordinate with central educational and digital departments to facilitate online learning.
These measures align with the government’s strategy to prioritize student health and safety amid a rising number of measles cases nationwide, including severe infections and fatalities. The initiative is part of the national measles response plan and coincides with a broader vaccination campaign for children under 18.
The directive follows a joint memorandum issued on January 23, 2025, by the Ministries of Education and Health, outlining school-based infectious disease prevention measures, particularly policies on school exclusion due to contagious illnesses. Authorities highlight the high transmission risk in educational settings and stress the urgency of preventive action.
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