University graduation ceremony sparks controversy over ‘chaabi’ dance performance

A graduation ceremony at the National School of Commerce and Management (ENCG) in Kenitra has sparked widespread debate after videos circulated online showing traditional Moroccan “chaâbi” music performances featuring cheikhates on stage in front of students, professors, and families.

The event, which was meant to celebrate students completing their academic journey, drew criticism from some observers who argued that such performances are inappropriate for an academic setting and do not align with the values of higher education.

Critics questioned the inclusion of cheikhates at a ceremony attended by university graduates, suggesting it diminished the ceremony’s academic character.

However, the student association that organized the event defended the performance as a purely cultural celebration reflecting Moroccan tradition and joy.

In a statement, the organizing association said the presence of cheikhates was in no way disrespectful to higher education.

“This was a Moroccan celebration, expressing the joy of graduation and the beginning of a new chapter in life. It’s something we’ve done for years within our student community, with no reported misconduct and with full respect for public ethics,” the statement said. Organizers added that graduates’ families were present and shared in the moment with pride.

However, not everyone saw it that way.

Bouchra Abdou, director of the Tahadi Association for Equality and Citizenship, criticized what she described as a wave of “vulgarity, indecent language, and superficiality” entering educational spaces.

She stressed that institutions of higher learning should cultivate refined taste and educate young people in music, language, and dance within frameworks that respect public decency and artistic value.

“The responsibility lies with the institution’s administrators,” Abdou told Hespress AR. “Not with the students.”

She called on schools and universities to revisit the activities permitted on campus and to implement clear internal regulations.

Similarly, Salah Eddine Halim, a member of the Moroccan Center for Legal Awareness, urged educational institutions to ban such performances entirely, stating they conflict with the values these institutions are meant to promote.

“These institutions should remain detached from activities that do not align with academic and intellectual standards,” Halim said.

“Celebration and dancing have their time and place. No one is against that. But when organized within academic institutions, particularly by student groups, it calls for serious reconsideration.”

He emphasized that such events undermine the image of Morocco’s universities and deviate from the kind of events that should be prioritized, academic and scholarly initiatives.

The incident has reignited a broader discussion in Morocco over the role of tradition, cultural expression, and decorum in public and educational spaces.