Moroccan students receive bac results with mixed emotions
2009-06-18
The results of the first session are in: 87,000 students passed and nearly half of the candidates will sit for a second round.
By Sarah Touahri for Magharebia in Rabat – 18/06/09
![]() [Sarah Touahri] Bac candidates in Morocco converged on their high schools to check their results. |
More than 87,000 Moroccan students breathed a sigh of relief Wednesday (June 17th) after learning that they passed their baccalaureate examinations. The first session's results, announced in the evening, came after a stressful day for candidates and families alike.
Time hung heavy for many who were anxious to receive the final verdict on their efforts. At about 5 in the evening, students and parents converged on high schools in large numbers. But only around 27% received good news. And of those who passed, 36.7% were happy to learn they passed with merit. One female student in Rabat emerged as the biggest achiever, scoring 18.67 out of 20.
Khadija, in her forties, whooped with delight on seeing her daughter's name on the results chart. "Meriem passed with merit, and I really wasn't expecting that. I was worried she might fail. Now I can enjoy my holidays," she said.
Standing next to her, a disappointed Fatima Ezzehra shed a few tears. Her mark will not be enough to get her into one of the top higher education establishments. "I didn't get a merit, even though I did everything I could to get a good average, which would have enabled me to choose something other than university."
The pass rate varied according to subject area. The scientific, mathematical and technical areas registered a 44.82% pass rate, while the rate was just 26.34% for literary subjects. Private candidates, who made up 12.62% of the candidates sitting the examinations, got the lowest scores.
According to the authorities, 5.5% more students passed this year's exams compared to the first session in 2008. The education ministry expects the number of baccalaureate holders to increase following the second session, which is planned for July 2nd-4th. More than 121,900 candidates will take the exams again, representing 48.6% of the candidates from the first round.
One teacher, Siham Slimani, said the number of candidates being called to take re-sits shows that there is a problem in Morocco's education system, because "so many of those who get through to the final year of secondary school can't get into higher education. The government needs to review the education system from primary upwards."
Students entitled to a second attempt try to be optimistic. Abdelfettah was hoping to get his precious pass the first time round, but wasn't successful. "This isn't the time to worry about what might have been," he said, looking resigned. "I was half-expecting this result because the exams were really hard."
The posting of results on notice-boards, despite being a very traditional method, is still the most trusted system as far as students are concerned. Many headed off to their high schools to consult the boards even after learning their results by SMS.







redouan Posted 2009-06-18
Studies in Morocco Bye bye! Good luck to all the students who are taking the re-takes. Let there be a soon death to the Minister of Education!
nassira Posted 2009-06-19
Which schools will accept students who pass the re-takes? God willing, help me, please! -Thank you
jihad Posted 2009-06-19
Can you let me know what the pass rate was for the second session in 2009-2010?
chacha Posted 2009-06-19
This article is true. -Thank you so much
siham Posted 2009-06-19
Hi- I am truly very sad. The exam was difficult and I got my bac with a passing grade. Unfortunately, this grade will serve to no ends in our society. In spite of all of this, though, I have not lost hope that this year the programme will be changed, that the selection will not respect the grades, that what was Passing will be good and acceptable for later enrolment. I am a student capable of having a good student, but now I am also the victim of new strategy, which has truly broken me down. Honestly, I hope you will take my comment into consideration.
Bachelier Posted 2009-06-19
I just got my bac in the sciences (mathematics) with a passing grade. What future is there for me, someone who has worked hard all these years. I find myself faced with the university alone with other people who have not necessarily tasted the bitterness I did in reading the word "passing".
عزيزة Posted 2009-06-20
We really hope to achieve better results in the second session. If it weren't for my belief in God the Almighty and with the help of my family, I wouldn't have overcome a miserable state.
خالد اوحمو Posted 2009-06-20
Baccalaureate exams in Morocco are still weak in terms of organization and work method. This is due to one reason, it is the absence of competent workers in the Moroccan ministry of national education.
meriem Posted 2009-06-21
I think your articles are very interesting. I am the mother of a family and I would really like to have your articles distributed in the schools. This would allow the students to become aware of their shortcomings and to make more of an effort. They have a tendency to be content with their results so that they no longer make any effort. It is a shame.
widad Posted 2009-06-22
Who will pass and they have given us only 5 days to review. Moreover, we studied other additional subjects to the last minute. This is too much. In addition to courses from the beginning of the year. When you review something you forget the rest.
Mohammmed Posted 2009-06-23
Can you let me know the pass rate for the Moroccan bac exam in economics for 2009's regular session?
أسامة بلـ.....(البيضاء) Posted 2009-06-23
The baccalaureate results are low. There is still a barrier between the secondary education and higher education. Where is reform? Where are future visions for education? Sons of ministers study in private institutes in order to follow the steps of their fathers. As to the sons of the public, they taste the sourness of bad educational programmes. (Oh Lord this is enormous).
sara Posted 2009-06-23
They are just calming us down with this second session. They have shattered us with the questions of the first year. They were more than difficult, especially for us in economics. We hope from God this second session they will give us something doable.
mounia Posted 2009-06-23
Salam alikum. I want to know whether I am invited to sit for the second session or not.
Moroccan Patriot Posted 2009-06-25
Simple Solution: If you work for the ministry of Education in any capacity, you should be prohibited from sending your children to anything other than a Public School. If the highest ranking members of the ministry of Education had any honor or integrity, they would be sending their own children to Public schools. We all know they have no honor and no integrity because they subject Moroccan children to cruel and unusual punishment in the Public school system, while using their own bloated salaries to finance their own childrens education in foreign countries. If you work for the govt. you should be prohibited from sending your children to private school. It really is that simple. Once Govt. workers are forced to send their children to the disaster that we call a Public education system, that is when the system will change. For that matter, all ministers should be held accountable for the ineptness of their departments. The minister of Health in Morocco should be held financially liable each time a nurse extorts money from a patient to see a doctor at a PUBLIC (FREE) Hospital. Each time a Doctor accepts money from a patient at a (FREE)Govt. run hospital, the minister should be required to reimburse the patient being extorted. The minister of tourism should be paid based on commissions. If he can get Royal Air Maroc and the Hotel Chains to actually value their customers and increase revenue to Moroccan tax coffers, give him a raise, if he continues to allow for business as usual and helps create an atmosphere where there is NO ACCOUNTABILITY, then fire him. Morocco needs the heads of the ministries to justify their redicilously high salaries. Perform or move out of the way. ACCOUNTABILITY is NOT a FOUR LETTER WORD.
هند سلا Posted 2009-06-25
Salam alikum. I am a sister who passed the baccalaureate three years ago with a good pass. However, the only possibility I had was university which was my choice. As to institutions of higher education and universities, more than 75% were for those who want it, and the rest...God is the assistant.
Salma Posted 2009-06-25
What is the success rate of students who attend public school versus private school? Does private educate yield better results on the bac? If anyone can tell me this please do!
امال Posted 2009-06-26
Good results overall.
اشرف بالبيضاء Posted 2009-06-26
I think the national exam was very difficult this year, especially because the level of Moroccan pupils is very weak. I hope that officials will understand this and make the second session doable.
moi Posted 2009-06-28
I have, praise be to God, passed in the first session although philosophy was a little difficult. Anyway, praise be to God. Hopefully for the candidates to the second session.
ا برا هيم Posted 2009-06-28
You look from one side.
dija Posted 2009-06-29
To say the truth, the regular session of the bac was very easy. This means that questions were good but the numerous lessons confused us. I wish success to students in the second session which is a valuable opportunity for you. Wish you good results God willing. There is good in what God chooses.
ismail Posted 2009-07-02
Honestly the exam of the second session is also very difficult especially for arts students. They exhausted us. If it is just for Morocco, it is ruined. The solution is be patient and keep quiet.
مستدركة Posted 2009-07-04
I am a student who wasn't lucky in the first session. It is the last day of the second session. The second session is terrible. The exams were not doable even more difficult than the first session. Those who will pass in the second session really deserve the expression holder of the baccalaureate. The conditions and the exam weren't suitable. It is worse than what everyone imagines. Good luck to candidates in the second session. Many congratulations to successful candidates and good luck to those who failed. God suffices us and He is the best protector.
Chiguer Posted 2009-07-07
What is the point of getting a bac with a passing grade or a good enough grade? First of all, the bac itself is a risk, and then, after the bac, there are other risks. If you did not get your bac with honours, there is no bother in you being on this earth because there aren't any universities to admit you and there is already a lack of professors and direction.
عبدالحق Posted 2009-07-08
I want results of the baccalaureate.
حسان بوسرسوب Posted 2009-07-09
Very weak results this year? There should be a consideration of the reality of students from both sides. The teacher today is in a state of confusion in the face of this new programme and French programme inspired from the west. Therefore, we mush read the history of our ancestors and scientists who spread light in the Middle Age when Bejaia and Tlemcen hosted many scientists and science.
yassine Posted 2009-07-09
Lazy boys, you don't want to study. Regret is of no use.
soukaina Posted 2009-07-11
Honestly, I think that if schools don't accept low scores, why do they make students with low scores pass? If honours are attributed with a score of 14, they shouldn't grant us success, make us repeat the year. At least we would have an other opportunity to get honours in order to enter schools. Even on the day of the exam teachers didn't help us morally. We are abated and we find some of them who get into the class and shout at students. Personally, this is the cause which made me give in in the ordinary session and sit again in the second session. The teacher acted badly to me. This means she didn't understand our state of mind. They think in that way we will be scared and we won't cheat. But unfortunately, she has ruined my future with this thought. I was expecting to get my bac with honours in the ordinary session. Anyway, this is destination. They gave us only five days to study. Some teachers teach us 6 hours a day in order to complete the curriculum. We studied in the last minute new lessons and they could help us get a high score. We want to know where does the problem lie? We are just victims. They act to us as officials. There is another point, it is scoring. I am very pessimistic about this because I worked hard in the second session but I am scared that the scorer in the view of the numerous papers, he just wants to finish them in a record time. Therefore he grants us an imaginary score. Please find a solution. We are complaining daily. If you want Morocco to make progress, we can build it. Don't make us lose hope. Help us so that we can develop our Morocco. May God bring the good. I hope these observations will reach officials and discuss them. May God help us all.
zouhir Posted 2009-07-15
The level of Morocco in studies has gotten weak as a result of the subpar policy. We requested that you update it. Long live Mohammed 7
jihad Posted 2009-07-17
I am really tired. By God this is an injustice and more than an injustice. This year I failed in the ordinary session. I knew I didn't do well in the Spanish subject. That day I had a bad problem. But I said I will sit again for that subject in the second session. I was sure I did well. I expected to pass. When the results were announced, it was the most terrible shock, I didn't pass. I nearly died of this. I am sure I replied and replied well. The biggest problem is that 2 students passed in our class. This is the ugliest and most unjust policy I saw in my life. I hope from God to take revenge on them, oh Lord. God suffices me and He is the best mandate against them and against their policy.
jihad Posted 2009-07-18
I want the results for the bac exam.
HAJAR Posted 2009-07-23
Good luck!
YOUSSOUFI Posted 2009-07-29
In spite of getting the bac, there still remains a funny road to go down, full of pitfalls. If you think you have finished suffering, then they will ask you to start filling out documents and immediately afterward you will start paying more than 50 thousand dirhams every year. So, do your math. This is financial challenge that will break you. If you want to go to a state school, you risk spinning around until you are dizzy. May God help the Moroccans in their daily lives.
sara Posted 2009-08-29
It was difficult even if I passed, I wasn't expecting to pass without honours.
dounia Posted 2009-09-06
Good luck.
latifa Posted 14 days ago
I agree with students who say that education is threatened. If it remains in this situation persist in future, students who pass every year in the baccalaureate with a good score will drop. But those who pass without distinction don't have any post-graduate opportunities. No school will accept them. This means they have no future. I don't know why they let them pass without distinction. They must give them another opportunity to have a better score better than no distinction which won't help them presently. Education has reached is very deteriorated and vulgarized.
MOHAMED BOUCHOUA Posted 8 days ago
I thank you for this site. I advise every young man not to smoke during his period of studies. Thank you very much.
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