Tragedy at Safi: Teenager Takes Her Own Life After Being Caught Cheating in Baccalaureate Exams

In a heart-wrenching incident that has sent shockwaves through the educational community, a 17-year-old student from Hassan II High School in Safi, Morocco, ended her life by jumping off the Jorf Amouni cliff. This tragic event unfolded on the first day of the baccalaureate exams for the June 2024 session.

According to Ahmed Karimi, director of the Regional Academy of Education and Training in the Marrakech-Safi region, the young girl, who was in her second year of high school studying humanities, was caught cheating by exam supervisors. Following this, she left the exam room in a state of hysteria and subsequently made her way to the nearby cliff, where she took her own life.

Before the incident, the student reportedly sent a final voice message to her family. In the message, she expressed her sorrow and asked for forgiveness, stating, “Forgive me everyone, and pray for mercy for me.” Her voice, filled with despair, broke into hysterical crying as she explained, “They expelled me from the exam because of cheating, and they told me I won’t be able to take any other exams.” The message concluded with the heartrending words, “I won’t stay alive.”

Karimi pointed out that the student had entered the exam center under normal circumstances and had begun taking the Arabic language exam like her peers. It was the act of being caught cheating that triggered her state of hysteria, leading her to the tragic decision to end her life. Karimi also dispelled rumors circulating on social media that the institution’s door had been closed in her face, clarifying that her suicide was directly related to the cheating incident.

The baccalaureate exams, which commenced today across various regions and provinces of Morocco, will continue until next Thursday. This year, a total of 493,651 candidates are participating in the exams, including 373,374 students and 120,277 independent candidates. The results of the main session are scheduled to be announced on June 26, while the retake session results, which will take place from July 10 to 13, will be released on July 19.

To ensure the smooth running of the exams, the Ministry of National Education has mobilized numerous stakeholders and implemented all necessary organizational and logistical measures. A total of 1,833 examination centers have been established, comprising 28,549 exam rooms. An extensive network of 49,000 invigilators, 1,833 observers, and 40,000 examiners is overseeing the process.

This tragic incident has cast a somber shadow over the commencement of the baccalaureate exams, serving as a poignant reminder of the immense pressures and stresses that students endure during this critical academic period.