Report: 66% of Moroccan primary students subjected to derogatory name-calling

A joint report by the Higher Council for Education, Training, and Scientific Research and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has shed light on the pervasive issue of violence within Moroccan schools, raising serious concerns about the safety and well-being of students.

The report reveals various forms of violence experienced by students, with verbal abuse being prevalent across educational institutions.

Mockery, insults, and derogatory name-calling were found to be common occurrences in schools. Shockingly, approximately two-thirds of primary school students reported being subjected to derogatory name-calling, while 55.9% of secondary school students, primarily males, experienced various degrees of mockery and insults.

The study also highlights the disturbing prevalence of physical violence, with 25.2% of primary school students and 25.3% of secondary school students reporting being victims of hitting, and 28.5% and 37.4%, respectively, experiencing pushing.

Male students were more frequently targeted with physical violence compared to their female counterparts.

Digital violence emerged as a concerning issue, with students disclosing instances of their personal content being shared on social media platforms without their consent.

Approximately 8.3% of primary school students and 8.6% of secondary school students reported experiencing this form of violence.

The report further exposed the alarming extent of harassment in educational settings, with 15.2% of primary school students and a staggering 29.7% of secondary school students reporting experiencing harassment at their schools.

Shockingly, 34% of primary school students and 25.4% of secondary school students reported that the harassment was of a sexual nature.

Interestingly, the report highlighted that male students were the primary perpetrators of violence in primary schools, while in secondary education, male students were the main perpetrators of verbal and symbolic violence, followed by teachers, peers, youth groups, and educational authorities.

Despite efforts to discourage violent disciplinary practices, such methods continue to persist within Moroccan schools.

In primary schools, verbal and symbolic punishments, such as insults and humiliation, remain prevalent, whereas in secondary schools, written warnings and messages to parents are the primary disciplinary measures employed.

The study also drew attention to the deteriorating school climate as students progress into secondary education.

Many students expressed feelings of fear within their schools, especially in their interactions with teachers and principals.

In secondary education, some students felt insecure and unsafe, particularly in areas not under surveillance.

In light of these distressing findings, the report calls for urgent measures to address the issue of violence in educational institutions and recommends improvements to the school climate to ensure a safe and nurturing environment for students.

In response to the growing concern, the Ministry of National Education launched the Observatory platform to record cases of violence in schools.

However, the report indicates that the platform remains largely unknown to 75.9% of employees, and incidents of violence are rarely registered on it, highlighting the need for increased awareness.