Meknes: The Princess Lalla Asmaa Center in Meknes, inaugurated on Monday by Her Royal Highness Princess Lalla Asmaa, President of the Lalla Asmaa Foundation, marks a new milestone in the Foundation’s nationwide rollout of a unique educational, social and paramedical ecosystem in Morocco dedicated to hearing impaired children and youth.
According to Agence Marocaine De Presse, the Princess Lalla Asmaa Center in Meknes is the third major facility implementing the inclusive model rolled out by the Lalla Asmaa Foundation, following the centers in Rabat and Tangier. It serves as a regional hub capable of welcoming hearing impaired children from neighboring towns and cities such as Fez, Ifrane, Khenifra, El Hajeb, and Azrou. This new center of excellence follows 56 students from preschool to sixth grade, with plans to open a dedicated high school soon to ensure educational continuity.
The majority of students at the center suffer from deep hearing loss, necessitating comprehensive care that combines education, sign language, speech therapy, and social support. Additionally, thirty young trainees are currently enrolled in vocational training courses in hairdressing, cutting, sewing, or as assistant cooks, supervised by trainers from the Office for Vocational Training and Employment Promotion (OFPPT). These courses enable hearing impaired young people to learn a trade and prepare for integration into the job market.
The Center features a speech therapy room managed by a speech therapist from the Ministry of Health and Social Protection, along with a sickroom and rehabilitation areas. This facility provides comprehensive care covering learning, communication, personal development, and psychological support. Speech therapy teams from the Rabat center will also collaborate with the Meknes teams to harmonize protocols and enhance auditory training programs.
Moreover, the Meknes Center includes a boarding school accommodating 16 children, providing opportunities for those from remote communities. This accommodation ensures a stable, structured, and continuous education for children whose families cannot manage daily transportation.
The Center also offers a playground, a sports field, and adapted outdoor areas, making it a place for learning, socializing, and personal development. Through such initiatives, the Lalla Asmaa Foundation is building a structured network to meet the needs of hearing impaired children, reinforced by inclusive schools and diagnostic centers. This model has become an international benchmark, inspiring 21 countries across the MENA region, Africa, and South America.
The Princess Lalla Asmaa Center in Meknes fully embodies this vision and marks a new stage in constructing a country where every child can learn, grow, and find their place.