French schools in Morocco: The revolt of parents spreads from Rabat and Casablanca to Fez

The mobilization is spreading across the kingdom. On Thursday, parents of students at the French mission in Fez organized a sit-in to denounce a new tariff grid described as "sudden". The protesters, concerned about the purchasing power of households in a tense economic environment, are demanding an immediate freeze on these increases, which could force many families to withdraw their children from the French education system due to lack of means.

This discontent is part of a nationwide protest movement triggered by a decision of the board of directors of the Agency for French Education Abroad (AEFE) dating back to December 2025. The reform provides for the gradual transfer of the burden of civil pensions for expatriate staff directly to families, up to 35% from the 2026 school year, leading to a mechanical inflation of costs without direct educational benefits for students.

In addition to the controversial introduction of first-time registration fees set at 30,000 dirhams, the new scales weigh heavily on family budgets. For the 2026-2027 school year, the annual fees for a high school student without French nationality will now exceed 60,000 dirhams. Parent associations denounce a breach of the trust contract, pointing to management disconnected from local realities and a glaring lack of prior consultation.

The tension is also exacerbated by recurring criticism of the management of funds and real estate projects, such as the Saint-Exupéry college in Rabat, whose reconstruction budget has tripled in a decade to reach 18 million euros. Faced with what they consider a financial drift to cover the deficits of the French state, parents are calling for a participatory approach and total transparency on the use of the funds collected.