Medical and Pharmacy students strongly rejected the claims made by Morocco’s Minister of Higher Education, Scientific Research, and Innovation who suggested the presence of groups encouraging medical and pharmacy students to boycott their studies.
During a seminar organized on Monday by the National Committee of Medical, Pharmacy, and Dentistry Students, Yassir Derkaoui, President of the medical student office in Rabat, emphatically denied the claims and emphasized that “they are not incited by the Al Adl wal Ihsan party”, as many suggest.
“We don’t have a personal agenda, nor do we have political affiliations. None of the medical students knows what is Al Adl wal Ihsan party. We’re far removed from politics. We’re just students, Moroccan citizens, with a list of demands focused on improving the quality of our education and training,” emphasized Darkaoui during the seminar.
A failed year over a dark future:
“We don’t want to fail a year of studies, and we don’t want to burden the state with a wasted year either. That would be an unprecedented failure in the field of medicine for the government,” said Darkaoui. However, he reiterated that “a failed year is merciful to a dark future.”
“The students were aware that this issue could take time to resolve, depending on how the two ministries responsible respond to our demands,” he stressed.
Darkaoui highlighted that “the most effective response to the minister’s threat of giving zero was the decision to boycott the exams that had been scheduled for the day after his statement,” emphasizing that medical students have a strong belief in their list of demands.
The President of the medical student office in Rabat called for opening a negotiating table to find solutions while dismissing what he deemed “unfounded accusations and false claims that cast doubt on their patriotism.”
“When we demand reforms to our training and advocate for improvements to hospitals and medical equipment, it is in the best interests of my education as a student, my future as a doctor, and the Moroccan people as a whole,” he underscored.
Pharmacy students join protests:
Mohammed El Mahdi Benhamida, the coordinator of the National Commission for Medical, Pharmacy, and Dental Students, stated that pharmacy students are persisting with their boycott because of the absence of clear and official meeting minutes from their discussions with the Ministry.
He condemned the marginalization of the entire pharmacy department, stating that “they were being accused of merely following the actions of medical students.”
Benhamida emphasized that “pharmacy students have their own set of demands, many of which overlap with those of medical students.”
In this context, the representative for pharmacy students emphasized the significance of convening a serious and responsible discussion to produce real and concrete solutions. She condemned what she saw as “systemic and deliberate marginalization by the two ministries responsible.”
“We have various issues to address, with overcrowding and the influx of incoming students being at the forefront. Since there is no shortage of pharmacists, why would we increase the number of incoming students? This surge will inevitably result in unemployment,” denounced the representative of Pharmacy students.
The coordinator of the National Commission for Medical, Pharmacy, and Dental Students debunked the claims that they had held 14 meetings with the ministries, clarifying that there were only 4.
He further highlighted that the decision to go for the open strike was made by a staggering majority vote, exceeding 90%.
“The commission always goes back to students, seeking their input in every stage, including suggestions, and protests,” underscored Benhamida.
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