The crisis which is shaking medical students, with more than ten months of boycotting courses, exams and hospital internships, finally seems to be moving towards a long-awaited outcome. This major turning point results from the bold proposal of the new Minister of Higher Education, Azzedine El Midaoui, who provided responses to the main demands of future doctors, in particular by validating the non-reduction of the duration of training to six years, with a retroactive effect.
According to information collected by Hespress FRthe National Coordination of students in general medicine, dentistry and pharmacy is preparing to organize general assemblies this Tuesday. This crucial meeting will allow students to vote on the recent proposal presented by the ministry, relayed by the Institution of the Mediator of the Kingdom, an intervention which could well seal the fate of this movement.
At the same time, a source close to the matter revealed that a group of parents of students from the faculties of Rabat, Fez and Casablanca launched a solemn appeal to future doctors, urging them to accept this new ministerial proposal. This compromise, according to them, “ respects legal legitimacy, avoids the retroactive effects of laws and opens prospects for improvement while supporting student representatives in peaceful management of this situation« .
These parents are encouraging strong participation in the assemblies planned for this Tuesday, November 5, 2024, hoping that their children will vote favorably for “ put an end to this collective ordeal which has lasted too long“. In a press release, they emphasize the importance of a positive vote to support the dialogue process initiated with Minister El Midaoui, which they perceive as a signal of confidence in the ability of academic actors to reform the system while maintaining takes into account the social and health issues of the country.
In this final offer, the government has in fact agreed to several major concessions which mark a break with the management of former minister Abdellatif Miraoui. A source close to the ministry confirms that the application of the new laws will not be retroactive: thus, the reduction in the duration of studies to six years will not be imposed on promotions having started their course before March 13, 2023, date of publication of the ministerial decree in the Official Bulletin.
Students enrolled during the 2022-2023 academic year and earlier will maintain their initial seven-year course. In addition, the ministry is committed to lifting the disciplinary sanctions that weighed on the striking students and to reforming student representation in faculty decision-making bodies, thus strengthening their role in the regulatory process. Other advances also concern the increase in scholarships and the reform of the third cycle, in line with previous agreements.
Faced with this prospect of an end to the crisis, the parents of the students point out that a return to normal in the faculties would make it possible to relieve the suffering of young people suspended from their studies and to pacify tensions. They also hope that this resolution will put an end to the legal proceedings against the 27 students concerned.
Finally, the parents of future doctors welcome the open and constructive attitude of the head of government, Aziz Akhannouch, and the new minister Azzedine El Midaoui, believing that this proposal could save the 2023-2024 academic year, thus paving the way for a new era for medical training in Morocco.
