Orange Maroc has joined a national programme to prevent and deal with bullying in schools, including online abuse, as concerns grow over how much time young people spend on the internet.
The telecom operator said it is supporting the initiative, now called “Joint Interest”, led by the Ministry of National Education. The aim is to make sure schools across the country handle bullying cases in a clear and consistent way.
At a meeting in Rabat, the education minister reviewed how the programme is progressing and discussed plans to roll it out nationwide.
Clear steps for schools
The programme sets out practical measures. Schools will train specific staff to deal with bullying cases. Clear procedures will be introduced to handle complaints. Some pupils will act as “ambassadors” to spot early signs of trouble. Families will also be involved, and a national system will track and assess reported cases.
A key part of the plan is the approach developed by the ReSIS Centre, known as the “Method of Shared Concern”. Instead of focusing only on punishment, it encourages early intervention and dialogue.
It includes small support groups of trained pupils, staff training to help teachers tell the difference between normal arguments and repeated online harassment, and fast-response systems linking schools to the police or Royal Gendarmerie when cases become serious.
Orange’s role
Through its ForGoodConnections initiative, Orange Maroc says it wants to go beyond providing internet services.
The programme focuses on three areas:
- A Digital Parent Academy to help parents guide their children’s online use without being overly restrictive.
- Workshops in schools to teach students how to protect their online reputation and understand the legal risks of abusive posts.
- Awareness campaigns showing the psychological impact of cyberbullying.
The initiative also involves the Digital Development Agency, the national police, the Royal Gendarmerie, the National Observatory for the Rights of the Child and the ReSIS Centre. The goal is to create a safer school environment where technology helps students learn rather than putting them at risk.
