Bac E Burkina Faso exam-day guide
Bac E Burkina Faso · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Convocation / registration confirmation
Bring the official convocation or registration receipt showing your candidate number, series, and test centre. Confirm the exact document format and whether a printed copy is required with the provider (Office du Bac or your school) - do not assume a phone screenshot will be accepted.
National identity document or school ID
Bring the original piece of identification named on your convocation (CNIB, passport, or school card with photo). Confirm with the provider which IDs are accepted and whether a photocopy is tolerated if the original is lost; ask in advance rather than on the day.
Two or three blue or black ballpoint pens
Bring spares that you have already tested. Avoid red or green ink unless the provider states otherwise, and avoid erasable or gel pens if the provider restricts them.
Pencil, sharpener, and clean eraser
Needed for diagrams, sketches, and any machine-readable answer sheet. Confirm with the provider whether pencil is allowed for the final answers or only for rough work.
Ruler, set square, protractor, and compass
Geometry and technical drawing questions usually require them. Check the provider's list of authorised instruments; some centres prohibit certain measuring aids.
Authorised calculator
Confirm with the provider whether a calculator is permitted for your series and subject, and which models are banned (typically programmable or graphing models). Bring one you already know how to use.
Wristwatch (non-connected)
Many centres do not guarantee a visible clock. A simple analogue watch helps you pace yourself. Smart watches and phones are usually forbidden at the desk - confirm with the provider.
Clear water bottle and a light snack
Long sessions are tiring. Confirm with the provider whether drinks and food are allowed in the room and whether there is a supervised break between papers.
Nothing written on you or your materials
Before entering, check that your hands, ruler, calculator case, and pencil case carry no formulas or notes. Remove or erase anything that could be read as unauthorised material.
Know your centre, room, and start time
Visit or locate the centre beforehand and plan the route. Arrive well before the stated start time; confirm the provider's late-arrival cut-off, since it varies by centre.
Plan transport and a backup
Identify a second way to reach the centre in case of transport problems, and note a contact number for the centre. Confirm with the provider whom to call if you are delayed.
Rest and a normal breakfast
Sleep, eat something familiar, and avoid trying to learn new material on the morning of the test. Bring any prescribed medication you need and confirm arrangements with the provider in advance.
Plan the day
Re-read the official convocation and the provider's instructions line by line. List every document and instrument required, check the exact date, time, and address of each paper, and resolve any doubt with the provider now rather than later.
Do a final review by subject using your own summary sheets: formulas, definitions, standard methods, and the mistakes you made in practice papers. Work through one timed past-paper section per subject rather than rereading whole textbooks.
Assemble your kit in one bag: identification, convocation, pens, pencil, eraser, instruments, calculator, watch, water. Test the calculator's batteries and check that no case or instrument carries writing.
Stop starting new topics. Focus on method: how to read a question, allocate marks, structure an essay or a proof, and check answers. Practise writing full answers under time pressure for the subjects with long written papers.
Confirm transport and, if possible, the route to the centre. Prepare clothes and the bag by the door. Check the weather and plan for heat, rain, or transport delays.
Do a light review only in the morning or early afternoon. In the evening, put the notes away, eat a normal meal, avoid heavy screen use, and go to bed at your usual time. Do not stay up revising.
Wake with enough margin, eat a normal breakfast, and re-check that your identification, convocation, and kit are in the bag. Leave earlier than strictly necessary so that a delay does not become a crisis.
Locate your room and your seat, keep your documents in hand for verification, and follow the invigilators' instructions. Switch off your phone and any connected device and stow it away from the desk as instructed.
Read the whole paper or the instructions page first. Note the number of questions, the marks, and any choice. Write your candidate details exactly as instructed, then plan your time and start with the questions you can answer confidently.
Watch the clock and keep to your time plan, leaving a few minutes at the end to check. Show your working, label diagrams, and answer the question actually asked. If you are stuck, move on and return later.
Do not compare answers in a way that unsettles you. Eat, drink, rest, and glance only at summary sheets for the next subject. Confirm with the provider where candidates may wait between sessions.
Stop writing when told, hand in all sheets including rough work if required, and check that you have taken your documents and belongings. Note the dates of any remaining papers.
Rules to check
Bring the identification and convocation named by the provider. If you lack a required document, speak to the centre staff immediately; do not assume an exception will be made, and confirm the procedure with the provider in advance.
Arrive before the stated start time. Late admission and the cut-off after which entry is refused are set by the provider, so confirm the exact rule for your centre rather than relying on rumour.
Phones, smart watches, connected devices, and any unauthorised notes must be left as instructed, switched off and away from your desk. Possession of unauthorised material during a paper is normally treated as a serious offence; confirm the provider's definition and penalties.
Only use instruments and calculators that the provider authorises for your series and subject. If you are unsure whether an item is allowed, ask before the test day and leave it at home if the answer is unclear.
Follow the invigilators' instructions on talking, moving, borrowing materials, and leaving the room. Requests to leave during a paper are usually supervised and may not be granted; confirm with the provider how break and toilet arrangements are handled.
Write only in the ink or pencil specified, answer in the spaces or on the sheets required, and do not write identifying marks other than your candidate details. Confirm the provider's rules on rough work and on additional answer sheets.
Stop writing immediately when the invigilator announces the end. Continuing to write after the instruction can be treated as misconduct; confirm the provider's stated consequences.
Scoring, grading scales, and any compensation between subjects are set by the examining authority. Do not rely on hearsay about mark thresholds; consult the provider's official documentation for how your results will be calculated and published.