ALDAR/ Iman Alaoui
In just a single decade, Mohammed VI High School of Excellence in Ben Guerir, commonly known as Lydex, has managed to place itself on the map of global competition, becoming a formidable rival to France’s most prestigious preparatory schools such as Louis-le-Grand and Henri-IV. According to a report published by the French newspaper Les Échos, since 2020, the Moroccan institution has achieved an admission rate of 12% at the French École Polytechnique, putting it on par with Parisian elite educational institutions.
Founded in 2015 with the support of Morocco’s Ministry of National Education and the OCP Foundation, Lydex was established to develop education for talented students from across Morocco, with a particular focus on underprivileged regions. The school combines rigorous academic training with personal guidance, alongside residential programs, cultural activities, and sports, providing a comprehensive educational environment that fosters creativity and critical thinking.
Lydex’s international achievements go beyond student admissions. They include success in prestigious competitions such as Mines-Ponts and France’s Grandes Écoles, where dozens of students have passed exams with distinction. In recent years, the school has set records, including having about one-third of the slots allocated for foreign students at École Polytechnique filled by Lydex students in 2023.
This excellence has attracted international media attention, which has praised the school’s high academic standards and described Lydex as a model for global preparatory education. The institution continues to welcome talented students from all regions of Morocco, offering them advanced education that prepares them to compete at the world’s top universities, showcasing Morocco’s ability to compete in the global educational arena and nurture a generation capable of meeting future challenges.
