In a first-of-its-kind occurrence, the Dean of the Faculty of Sciences in Ben M'Sik, Casablanca, refused to award a high-achieving student her graduation certificate due to her wearing a keffiyeh during the graduation ceremony. The dean asked for the student to remove the keffiyeh during the recognition ceremony, and when she refused, he withheld her certificate, sparking outrage among education unions.
In response to the incident, the National Union of Higher Education, local office of the Higher School of Technology, issued a statement of condemnation. The statement noted: "The Higher School of Technology in Casablanca organized an award ceremony for outstanding students on Saturday, July 13, 2024. This ceremony witnessed a serious incident when the Dean of the Faculty of Sciences, in his capacity as a guest of honor, refused to present the award to an outstanding student on the grounds that she was expressing a political stance by wearing the Palestinian keffiyeh in solidarity with the Palestinian people. Following this event, the auditorium erupted with protests from faculty, staff, students, and guests against this heinous act, forcing the dean to leave the hall."
The union added in its statement: "This irresponsible behavior within the university environment left profound discontent among all attendees, especially as it came just hours after a horrific massacre committed by the oppressive Zionist entity in the Yarmouk camp in Gaza on the morning of Saturday, July 13, 2024. In reaction to this aberrant and reckless conduct, the local branch office of the National Union of Higher Education expresses its strong condemnation of the dean's behavior, which contradicts Morocco's ongoing position of solidarity with the Palestinian people—king, government, and citizens—in their unconditional support for the outstanding student who was provoked by this normalization officer. They consider her wearing the Palestinian keffiyeh a source of pride for her and her family, complementing her academic excellence."
The local branch office of the National Union of Higher Education at the Faculty of Sciences in Ben M'Sik, as well as the regional branch office of the union, called for a stance to be taken against this heinous behavior of the Dean of the Faculty of Sciences in Ben M'Sik.
