Visually impaired students excel in Morocco’s baccalaureate exams as inclusive education gaps persist

Several visually impaired students achieved outstanding results in Morocco’s 2026 baccalaureate examinations, with some earning the highest honors in academically demanding streams such as physics and science. Their success has highlighted both the capabilities of blind students and the continuing challenges facing inclusive education in Morocco.

Among this year’s top-performing students is Malak Abaouss, a visually impaired candidate who obtained a mention très bien in the physics stream.

“My success is due to my effort more than the educational system,” Malak told Hespress EN.

Studying at a private school where no teacher had previously worked with a blind student, Malak said she developed her own learning methods to compensate for the lack of adapted resources. She recorded lessons by subject, relied heavily on handwritten notes to reinforce memorization, and used tactile methods to understand scientific concepts.

For subjects such as physics, she often depended on her teacher or her sister to recreate diagrams so she could interpret them through touch.

“There were no specific materials or special materials for me,” she said.

Examinations presented additional obstacles. Rather than benefiting from a trained educational assistant or specialized support, Malak relied on another student to write down her answers during exams.

“I don’t really know if she writes what I explained,” she said.

She believes visually impaired students need greater access to digital tools, voice-assisted learning technologies, adapted educational materials, and specialized academic support. She also stressed the importance of allowing blind students to choose their academic pathways freely, without assumptions regarding their capabilities.

Official figures suggest that access to education for students with disabilities has expanded considerably in recent years. According to the Ministry of Education, Morocco’s inclusive education program now covers 7,416 schools and serves more than 64,000 students with disabilities. Government officials indicated last year that approximately 70,000 students with disabilities were enrolled in public schools nationwide.

Yet advocates argue that enrollment figures alone do not adequately measure educational inclusion.

Omar Ajboun, a specialist in educational support for people with multiple disabilities affiliated with the Alaouite Organization for the Welfare of the Blind and the Moroccan Association for the Integration of the Blind, said successful outcomes often depend more on individual support networks than institutional assistance.

“When visually impaired students succeed, a major part of that success is often due to the companions or assistants who support them, rather than the system itself,” Ajboun told Hespress EN.

“The role of an association is supposed to be complementary, not a full replacement,” he added.

Civil society activist Lamiae Al-Hallou Kamal expressed similar concerns, arguing that policy progress has not consistently translated into practical support inside classrooms.

“There are no adapted educational materials for blind students. None at all,” she said.

According to Kamal, the challenges become even more pronounced in scientific disciplines, where visually impaired students are often limited to theoretical instruction because schools lack accessible laboratory equipment and adapted teaching tools.

“In scientific fields, visually impaired students often only learn the theoretical side because schools lack the tools and materials needed to teach practical work,” she explained.

While some private institutions and specialized organizations provide adapted resources, access remains uneven across the country.

For many families, success continues to depend heavily on personal sacrifice, family involvement, and support from civil society organizations.

“At the end of the day, it’s personal efforts and familial support,” Kamal said.

The achievements of students such as Malak demonstrate that visual impairment is not a barrier to academic excellence. However, advocates argue that equal access to adapted materials, trained personnel, assistive technologies, and institutional support remains far from guaranteed.

As Morocco continues expanding inclusive education, they say the challenge is no longer simply ensuring that students with disabilities enter classrooms, but ensuring they receive the resources necessary to thrive once they are there.