Morocco : Mohammed VI launches start of 2011-2012 school year

King Mohammed VI announced, on Monday in the northern city of Nador, the beginning of the 2011-2012 school year and launched the "one million schoolbags" initiative, which will benefit this year over 4 million pupils. - The sovereign launched the "one million school bags" initiative, worth 323 million dirhams.  - The "one million schoolbags" initiative will benefit 4 million schoolchildren, of whom 2.5 million live in rural areas. On this occasion, details were provided to the Sovereign on the numbers of pupils enrolled in schools across the Kingdom. The one million schoolbags initiative was announced by HM the King in a speech to the Nation on the occasion of the commemoration of the 55th anniversary of the Revolution of the King and the People and was launched during the beginning of the 2008-2009 school year. The 2011-2012 school year will see the number of beneficiaries from this Royal initiative increase to 4 million schoolchildren, of whom 2.5 million live in rural areas. The initiative, worth 323 million dirhams, covers all the provinces of the Kingdom and aims at fighting school drop-out, achieving educational goals, enforcing the equal opportunity principle, improving teaching conditions and supporting needy families.