Trainee Teachers Protest in Morocco

Trainee teachers in Morocco took to the streets to protest two decrees declared by the government.

According to a source, the first decree states the intention to reduce the amount of teachers’ scholarship aid by half.

While the second one stipulates that training of teachers should be separated from recruitment, and that at the end of a one-year training program, the trainees will have to sit for an exam in order to be officially hired.

This prompted street demonstrations that degenerated to police brutality.

“The attack on protesting teacher trainees is a brutal assault on the right to freedom of expression that is guaranteed in all the international charters and conventions. Also, it is a violation of the right to peaceful protests, and attempt to impose decrees and laws that affect citizens’ lives forcibly and violently, which are completely outdated methods,” the Arabic Network for human rights said in a statement.

STOP violence against Trainee Teachers in Morocco – Signez la pétition! https://t.co/RS0J91AjHO via Change

— Zohra Rhomani (ZohraRhomani) January 10, 2016

Speaking during a gathering, Morocco’s head of government, Abdellilah Benkirane, said the government will not cancel the decrees.

“We won’t cancel the two decrees regarding teacher trainees, even if this wave of protests lead to the overthrow of the government,” Benkirane stressed.

In 2011, teachers in Morocco clashed with police after staging demonstrations agitating for better benefits.