Court Cancels “Doctoral Fees” For Moroccan Working Students

A Moroccan Court has canceled the MAD 10,000 (USD 995) fee traditionally  levied on a Moroccan working student, after being admitted into a doctoral program.

Despite many appeals of the administrative case file number 2017/7106/18, the Administrative Court in Rabat has issued a final ruling. Effective immediately, students admitted into doctoral studies at the University of Rabat will be exempt from paying the traditional doctorate fee.

This ruling also suspends the administrative decision issued by the University of Rabat, related to the tuition of MAD 10,000 (USD 995) levied against working students and staff members enrolled in PhD programs at the university.

Student plaintiff, Fouad Herraja, filed a lawsuit against the university’s new decision through his defense team, led by civil litigator, Abdelaziz Nouaidi and his partners. The defense considered the decision a violation of the principle of free education and a disregard for a basic human right adopted by the Moroccan Constitution and international covenants.

The defense also deemed that the decision to levy a tuition represents unjustified exclusion as well as a disregard of human rights and the supreme constitutional laws, as the working students and staff members cannot pay the amount levied.

The decision of the Administrative Court to immediately annul the decision of the University of Rabat was hailed by students and researchers at the university, who considered it a “victory for free education, human rights and the Moroccan constitution.”

Source :Morocco World News