Killing of female teacher sparks outrage in Morocco

Moroccan women condemn the killing of Hajar El Ayader, a French language teacher, calling on authorities to eliminate the root cause of violence.

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  • Wednesday, 23 Apr 2025, 08:53

HANAN HARITE

Morocco- Educational institutions in Morocco have long been unsafe spaces for female teachers. The wave of violence reveals how fragile the protection mechanisms in the education system are. In late March 2025, Hajar El Ayader, a French language teacher at a vocational training institute in Erfoud, was violently attacked by one of her students. She was seriously injured and transferred to Hassan II University Hospital. However, she died of her injuries at hospital on April 13. The video showing the moment of the attack was shared on social media platforms, sparking outrage in the country.

‘Female teachers are subjected to violence in Morocco’

“Female teachers are constantly subjected to violence in Morocco,” Samira Mouhia, president of the Moroccan Women's Rights Association Federation, told NuJINHA. “A comprehensive societal response is needed to address this phenomenon. There are no effective protection mechanisms at educational institutions to ensure safety of teachers, especially female teachers.”

Samira Mouhia believes that a national debate should be held against femicide with the participation of human rights defenders, educators and politicians, calling on authorities to eliminate the root of violence at the educational institutes. “Those responsible for the murder of teacher Hajar El Ayader must be held accountable. If those responsible go unpunished, it will create a culture of violence against women and lead to the lack of security in educational institutions.”

Ibtissam Tabat, member of the Democratic Association of Moroccan Women, thinks that violence against female teachers is deep-rooted in education in Morocco. “School violence is not a new phenomenon in Morocco, it has occurred in Morocco for years due to education policies.”

Ibtissam Tabat called for a reform in education to eliminate violence against female teachers. “A system of education that does not take into account the values ​​of society always leads to a distorted education system. Morocco needs a reform in education to protect teachers.”