HIBAPRESS – Mohamed Zerriouh
Families of students at Iksan Preparatory Secondary School in the Nador province are living in a state of anxiety following the decision to change the destination for those successfully admitted to the preparatory secondary cycle. This has raised concerns about its repercussions on study conditions and daily commutes. In this context, the Parents' Association addressed a letter to the Provincial Director of the Ministry of National Education, Preschool, and Sports in Nador, expressing their rejection of the potential consequences of this measure on students and their families.
According to the content of the dated letter, the approved change directs successful students towards Tah Hussein Preparatory Secondary School, instead of Ibn Sina Preparatory Secondary School, which they have been accustomed to attending in previous years. The association believes that this shift imposes a more complicated travel route, requiring transit through the Iksan-Azghangan and Azghangan-Jerdar lines, which would increase the time and effort needed to reach the educational institutions.
The association pointed out that the situation presents additional challenges for school transportation, given the limited capacity of the available fleet and the difficulty of securing regular trips that meet the needs of students, especially during the morning and evening commutes. It also warned that the persistence of these constraints could affect attendance and academic achievement, and increase the risks of school dropout, particularly with the approach of winter and its associated travel difficulties and climatic conditions.
In light of this situation, the association called on the Provincial Education Directorate to hold an urgent meeting to discuss the background of the decision and study ways to address the issue, ensuring equal opportunities in accessing education and alleviating the daily burdens on students and their families. It stressed the need to adopt an approach that considers the specific geographical area and the available school transportation resources, to avoid any negative repercussions on the academic path of learners.
The association's office proposed two main solutions to overcome the current situation. The first is to redirect successful students to Ibn Sina Preparatory Secondary School, as was previously practiced. The second is to establish a branch for the preparatory secondary cycle within the Iksan Preparatory School. The association is counting on the Provincial Directorate's engagement with these demands to find a practical and sustainable formula that ensures educational services are closer to students and reduces the hardship of daily commutes, pending an official clarification regarding the fate of this matter.
