Morocco Earthquake: Students Return to Classes in Tents as Schools Rebuild

In Morocco, classes are gradually resuming after the violent earthquake. But the students receive their lessons under tents, as 530 schools and 55 boarding schools were damaged by the powerful earthquake that hit the Al Haouz region and killed nearly 3,000 people. Classes were actually suspended in about forty municipalities in the provinces of Al-Haouz, Chichaoua and Taroudant. A situation that affects one million enrolled students. The 32 traditional tents installed in Asni, a small town south of Marrakech, by the Moroccan Ministry of Education, serve as a school for 2,800 middle and high school students.

Abdessamad, 13, the son of Brahim El Berd, 45, travels 14 km from his village Tinghar, "dodging stray dogs," equipped with a simple flashlight to go to school. His father accompanies him every morning. "I make all these efforts for him. I don’t want him to drop out of school but it’s hard, I don’t know if he’ll keep up this pace," he worries to arabnews.com. His wish is for the authorities to set up buses, "because the children from the remote villages are many, otherwise we won’t get by."

While some students find it difficult to get to school, others try to "forget the tragedy" of September 8. "I don’t feel very well but the fact of being back at high school, even under a tent, surrounded by my friends, is a relief. I no longer like to be alone, because I only think about the earthquake," says Khadija Aït Ali, 17, who dreams of "becoming a teacher in the Al-Haouz region." "I want them to continue their schooling, it will allow them to forget the tragedy of the earthquake," hopes Jamal Aït Hmane, 43, who accompanied one of his 13-year-old daughters from the town of Tamgounsi, about a hundred km southwest of Asni.

The teachers feel overwhelmed by the ever-increasing number of students. However, they intend to play their part in the success of the school year. "At first, we focus on listening to our students and providing them with psychological support," explains Abdellah Zahid, a 32-year-old French teacher. We are mobilized to resume classes by revising our schedules and succeed in this school year that promises to be difficult."