Morocco/Taroudant province: Pupils back in school in earthquake-affected areas

Commue de Tizi N'test (Province of Taroudant) - Pupils returned to school on Monday in the earthquake-affected areas of Taroudant province, after studies had been suspended due to damage to several schools.

To this end, tents equipped with the necessary teaching materials have been set up to enable pupils in the affected areas to resume their studies in good conditions.

In Tizi N'test, one of the communes hardest hit by the earthquake, the director of the Académie régionale de l'éducation et de la formation (AREF) de Sous-Massa, Ouafaa Chakir, enquired at the Youssef Ibn Tachfin school complex about the conditions in which pupils were being accommodated and the measures taken to support them.

In a statement to MAP, Ms. Chakir said that the first step taken by AREF in the wake of the earthquake was to take stock of the losses in the area.In a statement to MAP, Ms. Chakir said that the first step taken by AREF following the earthquake was to take stock of losses among students and teachers, in addition to diagnosing the condition of schools.

He added that the Academy had put in place a plan to remedy the situation, ensure pupils' schooling and guarantee pedagogical continuity. The aim is also to help students overcome the difficult ordeal they have endured, through school facilities, activities and the support of teaching staff.

Ms. Chakir pointed out that 100 social and psychological support staff had been trained to assist pupils in these difficult circumstances.These staff will be deployed to the communes affected by the earthquake, to support teachers in carrying out their planned activities.

The Director of AREF Souss-Massa noted that all the efforts of the Regional Academy are currently focused on the province of Taroudant, praising the enormous amount of work accomplished by all the teams mobilized for this purpose.

As part of the Souss-Massa AREF's efforts to overcome the effects of the earthquake, Ms. Chakir reported on the mobilization of 35 executives, including architects, engineers, engineering firms and control offices, to work on the project.In addition, a team has been set up at the Taroudant provincial office, responsible for planning and school mapping for the redeployment of pupils.

When contacted by MAP, a number of pupils expressed their delight at being back at school and seeing their friends and teachers again.

Source: www.mapexpress.ma/