Medical student representatives amplify protest calls through institutional channels

After 3 months of open strike, the National Commission for Medical, Pharmacy, and Dental Students (CNEMEP) held a series of meetings with several groups, including political parties, unions, and civil rights organizations, to further amplify their voices through institutional channels.

The National Commission initiated talks so far with political parties from both the government and the opposition, including parties such as the Progress and Socialism Party (PPS), the Justice and Development Party (PJD), the Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM), the Popular Movement, and the Socialist Union of Popular Forces (USFP).

“The purpose of this initiative is to clarify facts and correct misconceptions regarding our demands, our training conditions, and the reasons behind our comprehensive boycott” for over three months, says the statement published by the National Committee.

It added, “this step seeks to solidify our position and foster joint efforts to prioritize the public interest and play a mediating role in resolving the medical and pharmacy training crisis we are currently enduring.”

The statement further emphasized that “this initiative reflects their desire to increase transparency,” stressing “the importance of legislative institutions in shaping political decisions and ensuring the fulfillment of the needs of Moroccan citizens and future professionals.”

“We reached out to political parties to address our demands through constitutional institutions, demonstrating our respect for these institutions even though the ministries declined to meet our demands and dialogue stopped,” stated Mohamed Rachad El Mallouki, member of the CNEMEP, emphasizing that “they will always turn to institutions and dialogue.”

Pointing to plans for future meetings with unions and human rights organizations, El Mallouki further explained, in a statement to Hespress EN, that they resorted to these organizations “to explain their set of demands, the current phase of their protests, and the reasons for initiating the open strike.”

He also underscored that such meetings helped them correct, in their view, “some misconceptions presented by the two ministries during their recent press conference.”

As to the outcomes of the said meetings, El Mallouki pointed out that ‘the representatives of the mentioned political parties understood the concerns of medical students and the reasons behind the boycott.” He noted that “the representatives also stressed the importance of returning to the dialogue table and addressing their concerns responsibly, particularly considering that the strike lasted longer than expected.”

“They also voiced their backing for our demands which stress the significance of education quality, public medical faculties, and the well-being of Moroccan citizens. They pledged to do their utmost by taking parliamentary and constitutional avenues,” he mentioned.

The CNEMEP  member reiterated “their fervent desire to resume dialogue to come up with realistic solutions.” The National Commission “believes that discussions based on arguments are the best way forward, not intimidation tactics,” he added.

“Despite questioning our patriotism, we want to prove that we always strive within an organized framework,” emphasized El Mallouki.