National exams no longer to determine graduation

The Jakarta Post, page 1

In another landmark reform for the country’s educational system, Culture and Primary and Secondary Education Minister Anies Baswedan announced that the ministry would end the function of national exams as the sole determining factor of student graduation.

The government will look for a better exam for 2015, it will still be a metric of educational quality in the region but it will no longer burden students in the way that the previous exam did for the past 10 years.

Anies said there were eight factors that were used to qualify the success of the educational system, all of which had been outlined by the ministry and which included the exams, teachers, learning materials and schools infrastructure.

Previously, in order to pass the national exam, secondary students had to score at least a 4 in every subject and had to have an average score (that factored in the national exam, school exams and reports) that was no lower than 5.5.

High school students who failed the national exam had to take other test the following year or another test the following year or an equivalent test and receive a different kind of diploma than their peers. The equivalency test was usually taken by anyone who had dropped out of school but later wanted to obtain a degree that was equivalent to a high school diploma.

Nizam, the head of the ministry’s Educational Evaluation Center (Puspendik), confirmed that the exam policy would be changed. The ministry will make several adjustments; Nizam said, adding that the ministry would issue official information on how the new scheme would be carried out in 2015.

Another adjustment to the exams that is currently being considered is whether or not the exams should be done online in 2015.

National exams no longer to determine graduation