Moroccan Students Urge Return to Chinese Universities After Two-Year COVID Hiatus

Estimated at over 1,000, these students stranded in Morocco since 2020 wish to return to China, given the relatively stable epidemiological situation in the world. "Since 2020, we have been taking distance courses. We contacted the Chinese embassy in Morocco on this subject, but we were given no answer...," their spokesperson told Hespress.

These Moroccans pursuing their studies in China have been facing several difficulties for two years to continue their studies, including the time difference between Morocco and China. "China is 7 hours ahead of Morocco. This means that we start our classes at night, from midnight until 3am or even 4am. And after midnight, it’s certain that we have trouble concentrating, which greatly impacts our training," explains the spokesperson.

For the past two years, these students in China have regularly paid their tuition, ranging from 4,000 to 20,000 dirhams per year, depending on the university chosen or the scholarship obtained, he points out, adding that "Chinese universities have no visibility on the probable return of foreign students. This means that some of them only offer language courses, promising students accelerated courses upon their return to class."

The students are asking the Moroccan authorities to organize the return of those among them who are at the end of their training in order to allow them "to validate the year and obtain their diploma." In addition, the MP of the Popular Movement, Soukaina Lahmouch, has questioned the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to find out what measures it intends to take to facilitate the return to China of these Moroccan students. For now, no response from the authorities. The students concerned, for their part, are awaiting a clear response to their situation.