The Tragic Tale of the Teacher Who Lost All 32 of Her Students in the Morocco Earthquake

The thoughts of a Moroccan schoolteacher turned to her students when she experienced a 6.8-magnitude earthquake last week. Nesreen Abu ElFadel was in Marrakesh, while her school and pupils were closer to the epicenter in the mountain village of Adaseel. She returned to Adaseel and sadly discovered that all 32 of her students, aged six to 12, had died in the earthquake. She described the devastating moment when she realized they were gone, saying, "I imagined holding my class's attendance sheet and putting a line through one student's name after another, until I had scratched off 32 names; they are all now dead." The earthquake, which occurred on September 8, caused nearly 3,000 fatalities, making it the strongest earthquake ever recorded in Morocco. The areas south of Marrakesh, where many mountain villages like Adaseel were located, were the hardest hit, with numerous villages being completely destroyed. Ms. ElFadel recalled how rescuers found the body of one of her students, Khadija, lying next to her siblings who were also her classmates. They had been asleep in their bed when the earthquake struck. Describing her students as "angels" and respectful children eager to learn, Ms. ElFadel emphasized the importance of education in their lives. Despite the poverty and cost-of-living crisis they faced, going to school was considered the most important thing in the world for these children and their families. The last class before the earthquake had been focused on learning Morocco's national anthem, with plans to sing it in front of the whole school on Monday morning. However, Ms. ElFadel has been deeply affected by the trauma of losing her students and her school. She cannot sleep and is still in shock. Although she is considered one of the lucky ones, she struggles to see how she can continue living her life. Teaching Arabic and French to the children in a village mainly populated by Amazigh people, who primarily speak their own language called Tamazight, was a passion of hers. She plans to continue her teaching career and hopes that the authorities will rebuild Adaseel's school, which collapsed during the earthquake. According to official statements, a total of 530 educational institutions have been damaged to varying degrees, with some completely collapsed or severely structurally damaged. The Moroccan government has temporarily suspended classes in the hardest-hit areas. Ms. ElFadel expressed hope that one day, when the school is rebuilt and classes resume, they can commemorate the 32 students who lost their lives and tell their story.