Si Mohamed El Hajjouji
My name is Mohamed El Hajjouji. I was born in the year
1927 in Fes, the second largest city in Morocco. I studied Theology, Astronomy, Literature and Law. In all, I studied
for seventeen years, which is a lot, I know. But I love to study! My family
said I would be as good as my dad, who was a famous writer in Morocco. Some of
my friends told me I could become a Minister, but the idea did not appeal to
me. I know it’s not an incredible job, compared to the ones people saw me in, but
what I wanted to be is a teacher.
In the 50s, I began my profession in Douar Ould Zidouh,
a small farming village in the south of Morocco. Unfortunately, school wasn’t
the first priority for the farmers, unlike where I grew up. Nevertheless, I
tried to explain to them how school could open many doors. Happily, I did manage to get children and teenagers to come
to my school.
A few years later, I became the headmaster of the
school, so I was the most important person in the village! I was very
pleased because it became easier to convince people of the need for education.
The children from several villages came to my school. Some
children walked a long way or took a bike to go there. So I decided to build a
school canteen, so that pupils who weren’t able to go back home during lunch time
could eat a nice warm meal. I was trying to give children the best learning
conditions that I could. Educating young people, providing them with a better
future, was my purpose in life. This was my fight.
Back then, there was a class of forty children aged
from fourteen to eighteen. School was not compulsory for them. To enable them
to take classes in spite of this, I changed their birth dates on their family
register, which was not really legal, but it was in their interest, otherwise, these poor kids had no future. And I wanted them to obtain their basic primary school-leaving certificate. I wanted to give them a chance to succeed (at that time, this certificate was
considered very important and really difficult to pass; it proved that you had the basic qualifications, in Grammar, Mathematics, etc.).
In 1974, I moved to Meknes city. There, I became the
headmaster of a great institution which trained primary school teachers. I was
really happy. I was satisfied with all my achievements and felt useful in this
world. I was proud of my life.
Unfortunately, I got seriously sick by the 80s. I
therefore had to retire earlier than planned. I was suffering from Parkinson's
disease. At this sad time, my wife, Rabea, took care of me with matchless
kindness. My children were also very kind to me.
Some more pictures of me and my school...
At my desk
The teachers and the headmaster
The schoolchildren
The canteen
Si
Mohammed El Hajjouji died on the 28th March 1997, seventeen
years after falling ill. At his funeral, many people, from everywhere, including heads of
hospitals, architects, engineers, and families, were present.
Many of them would never have succeeded without his help.
Many of them would never have succeeded without his help.
The journalist interviewed her mother (Mohammed El Hajjouji’s daughter) and her grandmother (Mohammed El Hajjouji’s wife) for her article.
Article by Sarah ROUBERTOU
who would have loved to
have known her grandfather...
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