Death of Moroccan Teacher After Student Attack Sparks Nationwide Grief, Protest

Morocco World

14-04-2025

Rabat – The recent death of Hajar El Ayader, a female vocational training teacher in the Moroccan city of Erfoud, has sparked national outrage and strong calls for action to protect teachers, especially women, from rising violence in educational institutions.
El Ayader passed away on Sunday after being violently attacked by one of her students in late March. Her tragic death has triggered growing concern over the safety of educators across Morocco, including the increasing cases of verbal and physical abuse targeting female teachers and staff.
The National Federation of Vocational Training, part of the Moroccan Workers' Union (UMT), called for nationwide protests on Tuesday. It urged staff in vocational training centers to wear black armbands throughout the day and observe a minute of silence at 1:15 pm in memory of El Ayader.
Demonstrations are also planned from 12:00 pm to 2:00 pm at training centers across the country.
The federation released a statement expressing its deep concern over the increasing number of violent incidents targeting vocational training professionals. The organization warned that such violence had reached 'unprecedented levels,' with some attacks being described as 'horrific crimes.'
'This tragedy is not just an isolated case. It reflects a very dangerous situation inside our vocational institutions,' reads the statement. 'We are demanding real protection, not just words.'
Read also: New Report Exposes Alarming School Violence in Morocco
The group also criticized what it sees as a lack of response from the authorities and the repeated dismissal of calls for measures to protect staff, saying this silence encourages more violence.
The case of El Ayader is not the only one. The federation cited a recent assault on another female instructor in the city of Azemmour, calling it 'unjustified and dangerous.' These attacks, they said, point to a breakdown in the values of respect and discipline within the training system.
The tragic incident sparked widespread anger on social media, where many users expressed outrage and demanded urgent action to protect teachers.
'These frequent attacks are a real indicator of the failure of educational policies that have been implemented over the last two decades and cost billions of dollars!' a social media user said.
Another netizen expressed concerns about the cultural and educational roots of such violence, questioning: 'I can't think of any reason for a 'student' to attack his teacher. Lack of respect for women? What was he taught at home?'
Political figures have also spoken out about the incident. Abdellah Bouanou, head of the Justice and Development Party's parliamentary group, offered condolences to El Ayader's family and to all teaching staff. He warned that attacks on educators are becoming a serious problem and said the incident must not be ignored.
Bouanou criticized what he described as the government's weak response and said his parliamentary group would push for answers. He promised to raise questions with the relevant ministers and call for urgent discussions in the appropriate parliamentary committees.