ENAFEP 2023: an autistic student took part in the tests

During their tour on the first day of the 2022–2023 National Primary School Graduation Exam (ENAFEP), reporters from the Communications Management Directorate (DGC-EPST) of the Ministry of Primary, Secondary, and Technical Education met an autistic student among the examinees. This took place at the ENAFEP center in Lemba 2 at the Notre Dame d’Afrique School in Lemba. The student is Baloy Fane Prodige from the CEIHEMA center at the Elites School Complex in Bandal, Kinshasa. According to one of her supervisors, Mr. Ley Nzomazowa, an educational psychologist at the CEIHEMA center, the student was very focused and answered all the questions without needing repeated explanations. "The preparation had two aspects: psychologically, to prepare her mentally for the fact that she would have to leave the center where she usually studies to go elsewhere; and pedagogically, where we worked repeatedly on the fundamentals and the exam items, as well as the material covered throughout the year. The involvement of her parents also played a role in her guidance and preparation,"he said. According to the child, all the questions were easy, particularly those in French and general knowledge. She even recalled some specific questions, notably the French text about personal hygiene and those on idiomatic expressions. This amazed her father, who had accompanied her. The child’s father assured that the preparation was done in the usual way, based on the lessons learned throughout the year. “The 6th grade has a rigorous curriculum, so there was constant psychological support, both at school and at home,” he said. He therefore took the opportunity to encourage parents whose children suffer from language disorders such as autism to support them and integrate them into the school environment as early as possible to ensure proper care, rather than giving up hope and contributing to the child’s stigmatization—which is the primary obstacle to their development. As a reminder, autism is not a disease, but rather a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects key areas of a child’s development. Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) affect a child’s ability to learn effectively in a school setting. Acceptance of early and appropriate care can significantly reduce symptoms and give a child born with autism a future. Cynthia Kanama