Tragic Wave of Teenage Suicides Shakes Morocco

Thursday 13 June 2024 - 10:30

Morocco has been struck by a series of tragic events, as a second teenage student has taken her own life, following closely on the heels of a similar heartbreaking incident earlier in the week.

Reports emerged today of a 15-year-old girl who ended her life on Tuesday in Tetouan, a city in northern Morocco. The young student, who was in her first year of high school, reportedly jumped from the fifth floor of a building on Jbel Tidghine Avenue. Local authorities have launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding her death.

This sorrowful event occurred merely a day after another young life was lost under equally distressing conditions. On Monday, a 17-year-old girl from Hassan II High School in Safi committed suicide after being caught cheating during her baccalaureate exam. According to Ahmed Karimi, the director of the Regional Academy of Education and Training in the Marrakech-Safi region, the student left the exam room in a state of extreme distress. She subsequently threw herself from a cliff near the examination center.

The girl, who was in her second year of high school with a focus on humanities, sent a poignant voice message to her family before her death, saying: "Forgive me everyone, and pray for mercy for me."

These incidents underscore the immense pressure and emotional turmoil that students can face, particularly during critical examination periods. As investigations continue, the community is left grappling with the profound loss of these young lives and the urgent need to address the mental health challenges that may contribute to such tragic decisions.