15-Year-Old Belgian-Moroccan Prodigy Begins Engineering Studies at University

This young student from Morocco did not follow the normal school curriculum but has a path that commands admiration. He pleasantly surprised his professors who put him on a pedestal. "His primary school teachers quickly noticed that he learned very quickly. From 2nd grade, Salah Eddine moved up to the next year," proudly recalls Fatima, his mother.

To prevent boredom from leading to school dropout for the young boy and his sister, she changes their educational method. The children follow homeschooling. "I sometimes had a teacher but otherwise I learned everything from textbooks," says Salah Eddine to La Capitale. "I have a facility to learn on my own but I’m not a genius."

The young man developed a taste for reading at a very young age. Lacking sociability, he returns to school at the Athénée Royal de Woluwe-St-Pierre-Crommelynck. He resumes his 3rd year of secondary school because he does not have a diploma validating his year. "He arrived with a very special request. He wanted to gain a little time on his school career and told me he was preparing the central jury of the 2nd degree to obtain the CE2D which certifies the success of the 3rd and 4th years of secondary school," recalls Abed Mellouli, prefect of studies at the Athénée Royal de Crommelynck.

Not meeting the conditions to obtain the CESS, the diploma that validates secondary education, a chance is offered to him. "You have to be 16 years old or have the CE2D, which he didn’t have yet. So I offered him the entrance exam to take courses at the ULB," says the prefect of studies. He prepares during the lockdown and obtains the precious pass to enter the university. "A student like that, we don’t have them every day. He worked hard to get there," admits Mr. Mellouli. The young student enters Solvay, very happy.