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Empowering Students to Help Improve Their Schools
August 10, 2020
By
and
MCC’s compact in Morocco includes an education activity that aims to improve the quality of secondary education, piloting a participatory approach to improve 90 schools across three regions of the country. MCC's Morocco country team recently worked with Millennium Challenge Account Morocco (MCA-Morocco) to host a competition for students at the participating schools. The contest asked participants to write about the improvement project and how it is impacting their lives. Below are the winning entries.
Blog by El Hattachi Ikhlas, Student at Idris-II Middle School
El Hattachi Ikhlas, 15, whose school was amongst those participating in the Secondary Education Activity that is part of MCC’s Morocco Compact.
As a student and member of the Leadership Council of the Idris-II Middle School in the Tangier-Asilah Province in Morocco, I was so excited to learn that my school had been one of 90 schools randomly selected by the Government of Morocco and MCA-Morocco to participate in the Attahadi pilot program funded by the Millennium Challenge Corporation.
My school is a large one of 932 students, in a peri-urban area of Tangier with a socio-economically diverse student population. As a result, it does not currently have the resources to ensure that all students have the opportunity to succeed.
Idris-II Middle School — one of 90 schools participating in the school improvement program as part of MCC’s Morocco Compact.
MCC selecting my school for this project is such a tremendous honor, and I believe it will have a long-lasting impact on my school and community. For my school, this project means that we will finally receive much-needed infrastructure upgrades and repairs, as well as new computers and other information communication and technology equipment. In addition, students, parents, and teachers have had an opportunity to discuss our school’s situation and to develop together a three-year School Improvement Plan that we are undertaking. Our teachers and administrators will also receive training on how to make learning more student focused. For my community, this project means forming a good, conscious and educated citizen who will serve his or her country.
Despite this project only recently starting, I can already see the positive change it is having in my school and community. The number of activities and events inside the school have increased significantly which has led to more students participating in school life and various extracurricular activities. This has generated a wonderful spirit of tolerance, collaboration, and engagement among teachers and students within my school and has helped to create a more supportive and communicative atmosphere among students, teachers, and parents.
On behalf of all the students and their families at our school, I extend my sincerest thanks and gratitude to the Millennium Challenge Corporation.
Blog by Fatimazahra Elmahjour, Student at Amchyot Sellam Ben Bouchetta Meknes School
Fatimazahra Elmahjour, 14, whose school was amongst those participating in the Secondary Education Activity that is part of MCC’s Morocco Compact.
This past school year was a special year in my life because I had the opportunity to participate in a meeting alongside several teachers and the director of my high school to develop together the first-ever participatory School Improvement Plan for our school. During this meeting we outlined the top priorities for our school and detailed specific steps to address them. This was the first official meeting that I had ever attended in my life, and it was such an honor to be selected as a student representative. As a student representative, I had the opportunity to advocate on behalf of my fellow students and discuss the many difficulties and challenges we face daily in my rural high school of 444 students.
Participants at the meeting for the School Improvement Plan at Amchyot Sellam Ben Bouchetta Meknes school—one of 90 institutions participating in MCC’s Morocco Compact.
Steering Committee meeting at Amchyot Sellam Ben Bouchetta Meknes school.
Sharing my ideas on how to improve the lives of students, especially the most marginalized—such as girls living in rural communities—really increased my confidence, and it gave me great joy to serve as a voice for the students. This confidence and experience have encouraged me to focus on my education and continue my studies. Unfortunately, many girls in my region leave school early for a variety of reasons, but I am more determined than ever to finish my studies and get my diploma. I also look forward to helping my school implement its School Improvement Plan, part of which is to help rural girls stay in school and finish their studies.
