He went to primary school in Berrouaghia and Larba, and secondary school in Medea, Blida and Ben Aknoun. During this time he became a medium level leader of the Algerian Muslim Scouts (Scouts Musulmans Algériens) in the Mitidja from 1943 to 1946 and then a militant of the Algerian People's Party (PPA) in 1944.