As I mentioned before, I was chosen to help supervise the computer
practicals for the GCE (General Certificate of Education). My name was
submitted for selection when we were getting the computer lab at St. Pius
registered as a testing center for the exam. I found out on about May 13 that
there was a mandatory meeting in Bamenda on May 19. I traveled to Bamenda with
Peter who was going to the same meeting. We left Kumbo at about 5:45am
and arrived in Bamenda shortly before 9am. Funny thing about the meeting,
although no time was given on the notification but almost everyone showed up
around 9am... except the people leading the meeting. They were delayed (more
than once) and the meeting didn't actually start until shortly after noon. Not
only did the meeting start late, but it took longer than planned as well. So we
didn't end up leaving until almost 7pm. On the way back to Kumbo there were 4
of us so we were able to get a taxi fairly quickly -- though it was a very
tight fit.
Because of that meeting, I had to miss the graduation and awards ceremony for the secondary school. Luckily, I was able to get to Tatum in time to see the secondary students before they left for their long holiday (summer break) starting on May 21. Oh -- May 20 is National Day in Cameroon, which is basically the equivalent of July 4 in the US. (Instead of parades, they do march-pass. Because I was travelling, I missed ceremonies.) After 24 hours in Tatum, I was back down in Kumbo for the GCE. Turns out they don't assign supervisors to work in their own schools so I had to supervise at Gov't Bilingual High School (GBHS) Kumbo. On Monday (which was a national holiday), we had to go to the school to make sure that the lab was all set for the exams which began on Tuesday. We had to test a total of 188 candidates in three days, each exam lasted 2 1/2 hours and for the first two days we had both a morning and an afternoon session and each session had 40 students separated into 2 computer labs. We had a few problems with the electricity and general logistics, but after we got that settled things ran pretty smoothly.
After spending most of the week in Kumbo, I got back to Tatum on Friday and was able attend the graduation for the TTC & ENIET students on Saturday (May 26). Oh, the music orals for the TTC went fine. The parish priest (Fr. Evaristus) was suppose to do it with me but on the first day of the exams he had to go to the opening of a new parish (which I really wanted to go to, too) so one of the other teachers assisted me. Father was available for the second day of the oral exams. Because of the computer practicals, I also missed hearing the term paper defense for the 4 students I had supervised.
Because of that meeting, I had to miss the graduation and awards ceremony for the secondary school. Luckily, I was able to get to Tatum in time to see the secondary students before they left for their long holiday (summer break) starting on May 21. Oh -- May 20 is National Day in Cameroon, which is basically the equivalent of July 4 in the US. (Instead of parades, they do march-pass. Because I was travelling, I missed ceremonies.) After 24 hours in Tatum, I was back down in Kumbo for the GCE. Turns out they don't assign supervisors to work in their own schools so I had to supervise at Gov't Bilingual High School (GBHS) Kumbo. On Monday (which was a national holiday), we had to go to the school to make sure that the lab was all set for the exams which began on Tuesday. We had to test a total of 188 candidates in three days, each exam lasted 2 1/2 hours and for the first two days we had both a morning and an afternoon session and each session had 40 students separated into 2 computer labs. We had a few problems with the electricity and general logistics, but after we got that settled things ran pretty smoothly.
After spending most of the week in Kumbo, I got back to Tatum on Friday and was able attend the graduation for the TTC & ENIET students on Saturday (May 26). Oh, the music orals for the TTC went fine. The parish priest (Fr. Evaristus) was suppose to do it with me but on the first day of the exams he had to go to the opening of a new parish (which I really wanted to go to, too) so one of the other teachers assisted me. Father was available for the second day of the oral exams. Because of the computer practicals, I also missed hearing the term paper defense for the 4 students I had supervised.
On Sunday, I went to Kikaikilaki (a small town near Kumbo) with the parish priest to celebrate with the Saamba, which is a Catholic/traditional men's group. Ivoline (who helps with the Diocesan Youth) was there and explained to me what was going on. As women, we weren't able to participate in the celebration directly, but we did dance outside of the meeting house with the other women.
This week the written part of the GCE began and also the promotional exams for Levels I and II of the TTC and ENIET. So it has been more invigilation. And it continues next week. I was not on the schedule to invigilate on Thursday and Friday, so I volunteered to help at the Catholic Education Secretariat in Kumbo for those days. I'll probably do the same a few days next week and again after exams are finished. The fathers at St. Augustine's College (SAC) have been letting me stay with them when I need to spend a few days in Kumbo. Which brings us to today.
