🇲🇦MoroccoNorth Africa
Baccalaureate 2026: heatwave poses a significant challenge for 520,000 candidates
via Le Matin2 min read
Approximately 520,000 candidates, including 420,000 enrolled students and 100,000 private candidates, are registered for the 2026 baccalaureate session, an increase of about 25,000 candidates from the previous year. Exams begin on Thursday, June 4, amidst high temperatures across several regions, raising concerns about exam conditions and candidate performance. Dr. Tayeb Hamdi, a physician and researcher in health policies and systems, describes this as a "double health and educational penalty." He explains that high temperatures can impair cognitive abilities, as the brain prioritizes thermoregulation, reducing working memory, concentration, and processing speed. Hot nights can also lead to "sleep debt," affecting recovery between exams. Medical risks include dehydration, headaches, hypotension, and in extreme cases, heatstroke. Dr. Hamdi also highlights equity concerns, noting that climatic conditions exacerbate territorial inequalities based on school exposure and infrastructure quality. He recommends immediate measures such as providing water, misters, first aid personnel and kits in exam centers. He also suggests managing classroom heat by blacking out windows during the day, ventilating early in the morning and late at night, and using fans judiciously, as they are only effective below 35°C. He emphasizes the importance of conducive home environments for rest and recovery. Long-term recommendations include modernizing school buildings for "summer comfort" through roof i
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A unified regional French exam in Morocco's Oriental region has caused a stir after a question on the role of women was circulated online. The written production section, worth 10 points, asked students to respond to the statement: "Some people think that women are made just to get married and have children. Do you share this opinion?" This phrasing led to widespread indignation on social media from women, parents, and equality advocates, who deemed the subject deeply reductive. Critics argue that while schools should foster critical thinking, placing such a historically charged and symbolically violent idea at the core of an official exam, without explicit critical framing, is problematic. Some defended the question as an opportunity to deconstruct sexist prejudices, but this view was largely overshadowed by the criticism. The controversy highlights the difficulty for correctors if students affirm the stereotype, potentially forcing them to choose between penalizing an opinion or validating a discriminatory view in an official setting. Teachers, particularly women, are also placed in a demeaning position by having to grade essays that might support such a limited view of women's roles. The Association Initiatives for the Protection of Women's Rights IPDF expressed its indignation, emphasizing that exams transmit educational messages and values. The IPDF stressed that schools build social representations and anchor values of citizenship, equality, and dignity, making exam sub
Asma Lamrabet states that the world is experiencing an ethical crisis, evident in economics, geopolitics, the environment, and human relations. She notes that while artificial intelligence offers promises, technical power is advancing faster than moral frameworks. Lamrabet highlights a "digital solitude" where increased connectivity does not alleviate isolation, leading to a quest for spirituality over dogmatic religion. In Arab-Muslim societies, she observes a visible religiosity focused on orthopraxy and rituals, which often fails to center ethics in behavior and social bonds. She argues that this emphasis on outward conformity can overshadow interiority, sincerity, and moral conduct, leading to contradictions where displayed piety coexists with incivility or corruption. Lamrabet references a HCP survey in Morocco where respondents prioritized probity, family values, and responsibility over faith and religious tradition for their children. She interprets this as a sign that deeply ethical values are no longer spontaneously linked to religion. For Lamrabet, "halal is ethics," meaning religious prescriptions should not be reduced to prohibitions detached from their moral purpose. She criticizes a literalist, legalistic discourse that focuses on details and forms, making justice, probity, responsibility, and sincerity secondary. Lamrabet believes that a religious practice not leading to greater justice and responsibility is incomplete. She extends this ethical re-reading to is
Must ReadThe Atlas Lions departed for the United States on Wednesday to participate in the 2026 World Cup. The national team, its technical staff, and the Moroccan delegation were seen off at Rabat-Salé Airport before boarding a special Royal Air Maroc flight from Rabat to New York-JFK. The National Airports Office ONDA organized a ceremony for their departure, with players walking through a guard of honor formed by ONDA staff, including reception agents, facilitation teams, technicians, engineers, airfield firefighters, and executives. ONDA stated that its teams are mobilized alongside the Royal Moroccan Football Federation to ensure optimal travel conditions for national teams and Moroccan supporters during the 2026 World Cup. This initiative follows a strategic partnership signed in March between ONDA and FRMF, aimed at improving reception and mobility conditions for national teams, strengthening logistical support for sports delegations, and promoting Morocco's international image through sports. This departure is also symbolic, illustrating the mobilization of national institutions around Morocco's sporting ambitions and international image, especially as the Kingdom prepares to host major sporting events like the 2030 World Cup. Mohamed Ouahbi's team will represent Morocco in this global campaign, carrying the hopes of the nation.
Marrakech has been recognized by British magazine Time Out as one of the top 15 cities worldwide for art and culture in 2026. This ranking was based on a survey of over 24,000 residents in more than 150 cities, who assessed the quality and accessibility of their city's cultural scene. A panel of editors, journalists, and cultural experts also contributed to the final selection. Time Out describes Marrakech as a "pioneering" destination that "absorbs, merges, and transforms global influences through a local lens of overflowing imagination." The city is highlighted as an artistic laboratory blending contemporary creation, Moroccan heritage, and international influences. Key cultural venues mentioned include the 1-54 African art fair, Le MAP, Comptoir des Mines, Loft Art Gallery, Montresso Foundation, and the Al Maaden Museum of African Contemporary Art MACAAL. The city is also praised for its artist workshops, cultural riads, and hybrid spaces like IZZA, El Fenn, Dar Al Dall, and Dar des Arts, which host exhibitions and creative events. Beyond visual arts, Marrakech's music scene and live arts are noted, with examples such as tea ceremonies at 1112 Teahouse, traditional concerts at the Museum of Music, and Jajjah's musical sessions. The Yves Saint Laurent Museum, Meydene Theatre, and the Marrakech International Film Festival also contribute to the city's artistic prominence. According to Time Out, 63% of residents surveyed rate Marrakech's artistic and cultural scene as "good"