Thousands of students across Morocco are expected to get the chance to develop their digital skills as a nationwide education programme moves into a new phase, with a series of student hackathons starting on 27 October. The third edition of DigiSchool, a joint initiative by the Ministry of National Education, Preschool and Sports and Huawei Morocco, is moving from training teachers to helping students put their digital knowledge into practice.
The regional hackathons will run until 23 November, covering all 12 regions of the country. Students will work in teams to develop projects, exchange ideas and find practical solutions using digital technology.
The new phase follows the training of 200 teachers from across the country. Ten IT inspectors and 12 regional coordinators also received training to help bring digital skills into classrooms and support teachers as they pass on their knowledge to students.
The programme will now provide follow-up support to trained teachers, including regular exchanges, sharing teaching methods and addressing challenges they encounter in schools.
Anis Liu, vice-president of Huawei Morocco, said: “Teacher training is an essential lever for promoting the integration of digital technology into teaching practices and supporting young people in developing their skills.
“Through DigiSchool, we aim to contribute, alongside the Ministry of National Education, Preschool and Sports, to creating the conditions that allow teachers to transmit their knowledge and students to put it into practice through concrete projects.
“As the regional hackathons approach, we are pleased to see this collective dynamic continue and to witness the emphasis placed on creativity, collaboration, and innovation in the journey of the young participants.”
The first hackathon will take place in the Tanger-Tétouan-Al Hoceïma region before moving to the country’s other regions.
Students will use the events to present their projects and demonstrate the skills they have developed through the programme. The initiative is designed to encourage teamwork, creativity and independent problem-solving while helping young people turn ideas into working projects.
The regional competitions will be followed by a three-day national bootcamp. Selected teams will receive further support to improve their projects before presenting them to a national jury at a final Demo Day.
The initiative is part of wider efforts to bring digital learning into public schools and prepare young people for a technology-driven economy.
It also supports the objectives of the Ministry of Education’s 2022-2026 Roadmap for quality education and the government’s Maroc Digital 2030 strategy, which seeks to expand digital skills and access to technology.
Morocco is seeking to strengthen its position as a technology hub in Africa, but the country faces a shortage of qualified IT engineers and developers. Introducing digital skills at school level is one way to help build a future workforce.
Huawei has operated in Morocco since 2002 and works with the country’s telecommunications sector. Its education initiatives include DigiSchool, Huawei ICT Academy and Seeds for the Future.
The DigiSchool programme is part of a wider agreement between Huawei and the Moroccan government to support the development of the country’s information and communications technology sector.
The third edition builds on previous rounds of the programme, with a stronger focus on putting digital skills into practice and giving students an active role in their learning.
