As of Tuesday, July 2nd, some 160,000 candidates from all over Senegal are taking baccalaureate exams. These last up to three days, depending on their fields of study. These evaluations were held in 486 examination centers spread across the country. Here are impressions from candidates of Seydima-Limamou-Laye High School, on the outskirts of Dakar, after their first exam.
At noon, an announcement synchronized throughout the 70 rooms of the institution in which more than 2,200 candidates were testing echoed, “Pens down, time is up.”.
Fatimata, a student in the literary stream, had just completed her philosophy paper. She reflected: “It wasfine; more than fine, actually, especially the commentary section, which was rather straightforward. I had really worked on loads of material, particularly on the theme of freedom. The exam focused on liberty and independence, so I was well-armed for the fight. I did what I could, and we will see how things go.”.
The other, Amadou, who had himself endured four hours of essay writing, was less sanguine. “It doesn’t look good. Philosophy is a very difficult course. If you just repeat what you’ve read, you get zero. If you think for yourselves, you get five. That’s why we students generally detest philosophy.”
The physical sciences examination was received with anxiety and strong-willed minds. One of the students, Maïmouna, reiterated that it is impossible to undergo an examination without stress but hoped for the best. “Oui, il y a du stress parce que vous ne pouvez pas passer des exams sans stresse. Mais on a un objectif, qui est d’avoir le baccalauréat, et on va y aller avec un esprit serein et concentré.”.
It’s even stressing the faculty. Madame Dabo, principal of Seydima-Limamou-Laye High School and director of the examination center, shared her worries. “Since Monday, the central police station has assigned two police officers to our center who come at around 8 PM to spend the night at our center since you never know what is going to happen, to ensure the security of these examination materials.”.
They are reflected in this year’s baccalaureate exams, evidence of the intense preparation and inevitable stress endured by candidates and administrators alike, pointing to the imperative position that this academic milestone holds for Senegal.