Al Akhawayn School of Ifrane defended the expulsion of 16 students, saying it was «exclusively» due to repeated violations of its internal regulations. Parents denounced the move as arbitrary and linked it to their criticism of school management, a dispute that has now drawn political attention. After parents of 16 students went public to protest what they called an «arbitrary expulsion», the school in question has issued clarifications. In a statement shared with Yabiladi on Saturday, the Al Akhawayn School of Ifrane (ASI) said the expulsions were taken «exclusively in response» to what it described as the seven families' «repeated violations of the school's internal regulations». Founded in 1995 in Ifrane to initially educate the children of Al Akhawayn University (AUI) faculty members, the school explained that the measures followed «serious, repeated, and continuous acts of harassment and intimidation» targeting teachers, administrators, and even other parents. It also attributed the decision to repeated attempts «to impose decisions that fall strictly within the governance of the institution: human resources management, choice of textbooks, pedagogical direction, budget management, and technology integration». The school defended its decision, stating it «had the primary goal of preserving this community, ensuring fairness among families, and maintaining the academic standards for which it is known». The school defends expulsion Responding to doubts about the quality of its education, the school cited «equivalencies obtained from the College Board (through its Advanced Placement Capstone and Advanced Placement Program), as well as the admission of its graduates to prestigious universities such as Yale, Brown, George Washington, Swarthmore, Haverford, and McGill». ASI added that it had «spared no effort» to resolve tensions through dialogue, but said escalating confrontations made the protection of students, teachers, and families a higher priority than what it called «endless, fruitless efforts» with the seven families. The school said that it had informed the parents in question about its decision in March–April 2025 to enroll their children in other institutions for the following academic year. The school further noted that the families had filed 49 lawsuits, «none of which they have won to date», with two cases still ongoing. The dispute has gained national attention after the parents of teh 16 students publicly condemned what they described as an arbitrary decision linked to their involvement in the parents' association and their criticism of school management. In a video, they complained their children remain without schooling and that they are unable to enroll them elsewhere due to the «special status of their former school». The controversy has also drawn political attention, with former Justice Minister Mustapha Ramid expressing solidarity and a PPS MP calling on the Minister of Education to explain the circumstances and outline steps to resolve the case.
