In Colombia, instead of SATs they have the ICFES. For my 11th
graders, their ICFES scores are the biggest decider of whether or not they
continue their education at a university or enter the workforce after colegio.
The test scores are also important for the school, as it is how their progress is judged in the eyes of foundations, the sole funding source of Barbacoas, where
I teach. Last year, the national average for the English Section of the ICFES
was around 60%.
The average for Barbacoas students was around 30%.
To motivate my students this year, I made a deal that whoever received the highest scores on the English section of the ICFES
exam could shave my beard in class. To the displeasure of my wife, I let it grow for 2 months and endured a multitude of jeers from students in other grades
(“Teacher, te ves como Osama Bin Laden”, “Tu barba es maluco!”).
Well the scores finally arrived late in October, with an average of about 42%! Still below the national average, but a huge improvement from last year. Former volunteers deserve a huge amount of credit, but I want to congratulate my students for their hard work.
