Monday, November 01, 2004
Friday, October 29
It was Graduation Day for Form-IV students, today. Form-IV would correspond to 11th Grade in the USA. But here there is a National Examination after Form-IV, and the 25% who pass the test get a Certificate and go on for two more years, after which there is another exam for the Degree. Of the 75% who fail, they have the option of going to a private school if they can afford it and if they can get in. Private schools are generally considered inferior because all the better students, the successful 25%, continue in the government schools.
The Graduation is a big deal. There were no classes yesterday, as the students were "doing cleanliness" around the school grounds. Another teacher and I were in charge of a brigade that was resetting any of the stones lining the entrance drive that had fallen over or sunk out of sight. Later the stones were all re-whitewashed for the occasion.
The Graduation Ceremony is looong. It includes some native dancing put on by a local professional troupe, several long plays written by the students. These are generally comedies, based on unfaithful love affairs that cause the demise of entire communities due to HIV/AIDS. Take humor where you can find it, I guess. But the center of it all is the speeches from the honored guests. I actually would like to know what they tell graduating and non-graduating students in a Graduation ceremony, but since it is all in Kiswahili it is lost to me.
The strange thing about the ceremony is that the kids haven't actually taken their Examination yet. That will be this coming Monday, and the results won't be known until next February or so. They are given unsigned Certificates that they then have to give back to the school. I am told that if the school waited until after they gave the test for the ceremony, the kids would tear the place apart. Anyway, by the time the results are known, the kids are long gone, and scattered. One of the ways Tanzania has broken down tribal loyalties in favor or national identity is by promoting government boarding schools with kids drawn from all over the country.
So, no classes today, obviously. I had begun the day by going downtown to have breakfast with Kathleen. She teaches at Bunda, and was passing through Mwanza on her way to a graduation of a friend's daughter at Kahama, near Tabora. Later, bored, I sent her a text message, and here was our exchange throughout the day:
Lee 12:45. Boy, these graduation speeches go on forever. In Kiswahili, yet.
Kathleen 12:56. Lee, things must really be getting pretty boring at the Graduation. The bus is leaving now. Have a good weekend.
K 20:30. Lee, my bus was in an accident. I am OK and we are proceeding to Kahama in a different bus.
L 12:34 . Lord, I am glad you are OK. Sorry about the accident.
K 20:40. You should see the bus. It landed on its side. Can't wait to get the pictures developed.
L 12:45. Did the Peace Corps know your travel plans? Better send them a message or they will go off the deep end.
K 20:51. Thank god I did tell Thomas today. And I did contact him. That accident was a little scary. I crawled out through the window. I think only a few people went to the hospital though.
L 20:53. That must have been frightening as hell. Are you really OK?
K 20:55. Yes, it was very scary. It took 4 hours for the next bus to come. We drove off a small bridge. Really though, I am OK. Thanks for asking.
[end]
It was Graduation Day for Form-IV students, today. Form-IV would correspond to 11th Grade in the USA. But here there is a National Examination after Form-IV, and the 25% who pass the test get a Certificate and go on for two more years, after which there is another exam for the Degree. Of the 75% who fail, they have the option of going to a private school if they can afford it and if they can get in. Private schools are generally considered inferior because all the better students, the successful 25%, continue in the government schools.
The Graduation is a big deal. There were no classes yesterday, as the students were "doing cleanliness" around the school grounds. Another teacher and I were in charge of a brigade that was resetting any of the stones lining the entrance drive that had fallen over or sunk out of sight. Later the stones were all re-whitewashed for the occasion.
The Graduation Ceremony is looong. It includes some native dancing put on by a local professional troupe, several long plays written by the students. These are generally comedies, based on unfaithful love affairs that cause the demise of entire communities due to HIV/AIDS. Take humor where you can find it, I guess. But the center of it all is the speeches from the honored guests. I actually would like to know what they tell graduating and non-graduating students in a Graduation ceremony, but since it is all in Kiswahili it is lost to me.
The strange thing about the ceremony is that the kids haven't actually taken their Examination yet. That will be this coming Monday, and the results won't be known until next February or so. They are given unsigned Certificates that they then have to give back to the school. I am told that if the school waited until after they gave the test for the ceremony, the kids would tear the place apart. Anyway, by the time the results are known, the kids are long gone, and scattered. One of the ways Tanzania has broken down tribal loyalties in favor or national identity is by promoting government boarding schools with kids drawn from all over the country.
So, no classes today, obviously. I had begun the day by going downtown to have breakfast with Kathleen. She teaches at Bunda, and was passing through Mwanza on her way to a graduation of a friend's daughter at Kahama, near Tabora. Later, bored, I sent her a text message, and here was our exchange throughout the day:
Lee 12:45. Boy, these graduation speeches go on forever. In Kiswahili, yet.
Kathleen 12:56. Lee, things must really be getting pretty boring at the Graduation. The bus is leaving now. Have a good weekend.
K 20:30. Lee, my bus was in an accident. I am OK and we are proceeding to Kahama in a different bus.
L 12:34 . Lord, I am glad you are OK. Sorry about the accident.
K 20:40. You should see the bus. It landed on its side. Can't wait to get the pictures developed.
L 12:45. Did the Peace Corps know your travel plans? Better send them a message or they will go off the deep end.
K 20:51. Thank god I did tell Thomas today. And I did contact him. That accident was a little scary. I crawled out through the window. I think only a few people went to the hospital though.
L 20:53. That must have been frightening as hell. Are you really OK?
K 20:55. Yes, it was very scary. It took 4 hours for the next bus to come. We drove off a small bridge. Really though, I am OK. Thanks for asking.
[end]
