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"I often walk to school alone, but sometimes meet up with friends on the way. The
first thing we do is clean the classroom: dust always settles on the desks and chairs
overnight. Then we go into the playground until the whole school gathers, to raise the
national flag and sing the national anthem. Each class takes it in turn to raise the flag.
"I started school when I was five. That’s younger than most children
in Mali; the normal age is about seven. Currently I’m in eighth grade. I had to
repeat sixth grade, but apart from that I’ve moved up each year. School starts at
eight and finishes at 12.00 every day except Tuesdays when we go for drawing classes in
the afternoon.
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"I like physics and chemistry, but my favourite subject is maths, because if
you’re good at maths, you’re more likely to get a good job, but also because it
is so accurate. Some other subjects are not really objective, but you know where you are
with maths. "There are 89 pupils in my class, many more boys than girls.
All the classes are over-crowded. My classroom is quite big, but it isn’t very well
equipped. We have to keep the shutters closed on one side in order to keep the sun out, so
it’s quite dark inside, barely light enough to see the blackboard and read our books.
We share three pupils to one desk. Everything is scarce, especially textbooks. During
reading lessons we have to share one book between three. We have to buy our own pens,
pencils and notebooks.
"I come home for lunch at about 12.15, and eat right away: usually rice, with
watermelons if they are in season. Then in the afternoon, I go to a friend’s house to
do my homework. We spend about an hour studying each afternoon."
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