Morocco’s Ministry of Higher Education has implemented a series of measures to address the ongoing strike among medical students, including special exam sessions to ensure students can continue their education without disruption, according to a statement on Monday.
The special exams follow ongoing strikes by medical students over the last 11 months, protesting the ministry’s decision to reduce medical training from seven to six years.
Under the new regime, students who successfully completed their first-semester exams during the September 5, 2024, session will have the opportunity to take their second-semester exams in a special session beginning October 4, 2024.
In addition, students taking the second-semester exam for the first time will also be eligible to participate in the upcoming extraordinary session.
The ministry has committed to holding another special session for first-semester exams, with specific dates to be announced by the respective faculties in the coming weeks.
One notable aspect of the newly announced measures is the decision to replace any zero grades with scores obtained during these extra exam sessions.
The ministry said that the results from both the regular and special exams will be considered for student registration in subsequent academic years.
Meanwhile, the requirement to complete internships has been temporarily suspended to allow students to focus on their exams without additional pressure.
The announcement comes as a response to mediation efforts by the Ombudsman Institution, which had been working to resolve disputes between the ministry and student representatives.
Despite these efforts, a settlement was not reached prior to the announcement, prompting the ministry to take decisive action.
The new academic year for first-year medical students was scheduled to begin on September 23, 2024, while students in other levels will commence their studies on October 14, 2024.
In the statement, the ministry also announced plans to hold extensive meetings to provide additional explanations about the new pedagogical structure for medical training.