National Exams

This is a photo of the IPB 2013-2014 9^th grade class in one of the school rooms earlier in the school year. There are 22 students in the class. This year they have had 28 hours per week of in class time -- 6 hours of math, 5 hours of biology, 2 hours of physics, 2 hours each of Creole and Spanish, 3 hours each of English and Social Science and 4 hours of French and 1 hour of Bible.

All that hard work will be tested at the end of this month. These students must sit for the Haitian National Exams from June 24^th through June 26^th. They will have several hours of tests each morning and on both afternoons of the 24^th and 25^th. The results of the tests will determine if they can go on to 10^th grade next year or if they have to repeat 9^th grade.

The 12^th grade (Rheto) and 13^th grade (Philo) students are also taking National Exams this summer. The Rheto exams, or Baccalaureate I exams are from June 30^th through July 2^nd . The Philo, or Baccalaureate II exams are from July 7^th through 10^th. The results of the Bacc I exams determine if the students can continue on to Philo for next year or if they need to repeat Rheto. The results of the Bacc II exams determine if the students can go on to university or a trade school.

Generally, the students stay in the town where the exams are being held. In years past, the 9^th grade exams have been held in Pignon, so the students aren't that far from home. As a matter of fact, this year, the students will be staying in their own homes and HAFF will transport them back and forth to Pignon each day for the exams. The Bacc I and Bacc II exams have been held in Grand Riviere du Nord in the past – near the northern coast of Haiti a long way from home for most of the students and for many of them, the farthest they have been from home ever. In some recent years the Bacc I exam has been held in St Raphael, which is just north of Pignon, so not too far.

The students have to submit passport type photos and pay fees to the Haitian government to register for the exams. That was done in November. They should have their school uniforms in good shape – often necessitating the purchase of a new uniform since the one(s) they've worn all year are usually faded and worn from much laundering. They are also responsible for their own food and housing during the time of the exam.

Loading the truck with luggage and goats!

As is traditional in Haiti, HAFF and IPB help arrange for the transportation, housing and feeding of the students during the exams. HAFF arranges for the students to stay at a church or school in the town where the exam will be held. The students contribute a portion of the cost of the food. HAFF contributes some of the food and provides transport to and from the market for a delegation from the class to shop for the food. HAFF also sends large cooking vessels and provides a good portion of the wood necessary for the cooking fires.

Mothers of some of the students usually go to do the cooking. A couple of IPB teachers go along as chaperones and as tutor/counselors. Other teachers might go for a short period of time to help the students study for their particular subject. Finally, HAFF provides transportation of the students, cooks and teachers and their luggage, food, wood, cooking vessels and water barrels to and from the church or school where the students will eat, study and sleep. For the 9^th graders, the mothers will cook at HAFF and the prepared food for the noon meal will go in to Pignon when the students go.

Please pray for the school directors, the students and the HAFF Executive Committee as they work on the arrangements for these three groups of students taking exams. There are so many details to cover for the 18 days of exams! Please pray too for the drivers as they make many trips with trucks full of people and supplies.

Particularly, please keep these young people in your prayers. Pray that they will be able to overcome their nerves and be able to concentrate and do well on the exams. Pray also that they will remain healthy and will conduct themselves in a Christ-like manner during the exams.