"The school has existed since 1937. After independence in 1956, the Salesians redefined the direction of the institution and started vocational training that meets the needs of the country", explains the Rector, Fr Antonio Vega, SDB.
The school offers education that follows official programmes: there are courses in both French and in Arabic, the teachers are all Muslims and the course in Islam is compulsory, except for three Christian students. The Salesian charism, however, is ensured by the constant presence of the Rector among the young people. According to the Vice-Principal, Nouâman Haddouch, "of all the elements of Salesian pedagogy, presence is the one that is most significant here."
The highlight is the Salesian "good morning". "This morning I talked about responding to violence with non-violence,” says Fr Vega. “I quoted a passage from the Koran that says you have to protect yourself from violence. You must forgive." This year, the theme proposed by Catholic education in Morocco (ECAM) is "No to violence". It affects all the educational activities of the school and also extends to activities with parents, educators, conferences, etc.
Every year, also, Fr Vega organizes a "Week of Culture", which provides an opportunity for parents and children to discover more about the teaching and life of Don Bosco.
Many of the teachers have learned and share the principles of Salesian pedagogy. Habhoud Mohamed, professor of Arabic, is a Muslim. He calls himself a ‘Salesian Muslim'. “The spirit of Don Bosco can exist among Jews, Christians and Muslims. I act and I think as a Salesian.". He is also the author of a book on Don Bosco published in Arabic for the Bicentenary which was widely read by the parents of the students.
To give an idea of the role of the school in Kenitra, mention must be made of other related activities: the cultural and sports centre is open to those who are not in school, so too are the library, the gym and the course for children who are not in school. The school is also connected to two other institutions, the JUK-CFF, for the education of girls, and JUK- SPEL, for the training of young adults.
