This Friday, parents of students attending primary schools under the Agency for French Education Abroad (AEFE) in the Rabat-Kenitra region decided not to send their children to school. This action is a protest against what they describe as an «unjustified increase in tuition fees». DR ‹ › A day after the Rabat-Kénitra branch of the Agency for French Education Abroad (AEFE) announced a 7% increase in tuition fees for the upcoming school year, four parent organizations launched a «class boycott». On Friday, many families chose not to send their children to school, describing the measure as «unjustified». Contacted by Yabiladi, the Autonomous Collective of Parents of Students (CAPE) at Albert Camus, a directly managed school in Rabat, confirmed strong participation. «Nearly 80% of parents did not send their children today», said Othmane Ouannane, president of CAPE Camus. He added that the action currently concerns primary schools in Rabat but could be extended to secondary schools and other cities. According to Ouannane, the boycott aims to «send a clear message against decisions taken unilaterally and without broad consultation». It follows earlier actions, including sit-ins and the submission of more than 3,000 protest letters. «No major decision affecting our children's education should be made without involving parents», he said. Questions Over the Reserve Fund In a joint statement, the four organizations, including CAPE, acknowledged that previous mobilization in Rabat and Kénitra had secured some concessions. The originally planned increase of 4% in January 2026, combined with a 4,000-dirham annual registration fee, was reduced to approximately 3,500 dirhams for the next school year after the annual fee was scrapped. While describing this as «a significant step forward», parents continue to call for a 0% increase instead of the announced 7%. They reject the argument that annual increases are inevitable simply because «all institutions increase worldwide, including in Morocco». Parent groups also point to the pole's reserve fund, which they say amounts to nearly €10 million, built up over more than fifteen years of successive fee increases. According to their statement, this reserve «covers nearly five times the financial need currently cited to justify the new increase». Debate Over Saint-Exupéry College Project Parents have also raised concerns about the reconstruction of Saint-Exupéry College. Ouannane noted that the project's budget rose from an initial €6 million to €18.5 million in 2023. «Parents have already built up nearly €10 million in reserves for this investment», he said. While supporting the reconstruction to improve conditions, parent associations argue that the €18.5 million budget «raises serious questions». They call for the creation of a local task force of independent experts to oversee the project's technical assessment, costing, and implementation in order to ensure transparency and prevent further tuition increases. They also propose covering civil pension costs, estimated at around €2 million for the entire Rabat-Kénitra pole, directly from the reserve fund, arguing that this is currently the main justification for the 7% hike. For his part, François Cuilhé, head of the Rabat-Kénitra AEFE network, said the increase reflects necessary financial adjustments and stressed that it is «separate from the Saint-Exupéry real estate project». He added that the reconstruction will be financed through the reserve fund and a €7 million contribution from AEFE, and pledged regular updates to parent representatives. Parents, however, say their mobilization goes beyond financial figures. They describe it as a call for improved governance and for «an excellent school, without unjustified tuition fee increases».
