The SAWA military training center was established in Eritrea in 1994 and is located in the west of the country away from the Sudanese border, in the middle of the Sub-Saharan desert with temperatures reaching 47 degrees Celsius during summer time. High school students from all over Eritrea must participate in the 12 month academic education and military training. Students also have to take the 'Matriculation Exam' which covers topics from ninth to twelfth grades. Depending on their results of this exam, students go to higher education or other skills training camps.