Independent body to run exams<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
An independent body will be in charge of holding the national
\nfinal school examinations (UAN) next year throughout Indonesia,
\nthereby putting an end to the government's role, Minister of
\nNational Education Bambang Sudibyo told the House of
\nRepresentatives Commission X on Monday.<\/p>\n
\"The government will still organize the UAN this year. Next
\nyear it will done by an independent body as stipulated in
\nEducation Law No. 58 verse 2,\" he told lawmakers during a
\nhearing.<\/p>\n
The decision by the current minister to continue the
\ncontroversial UAN policy, which was first introduced last year by
\nthe previous administration, has drawn criticism from lawmakers
\nand others, who said that the policy was against the law on
\neducation partly because of the government's direct role in
\norganizing and running the national examination.<\/p>\n
Other critics added that it was irrational to hold such exams
\nbecause of the quality gap between schools in the country, and
\nbecause it would push teachers to focus their attention on how
\ntheir students could achieve high scores on just the three
\nsubjects being tested (English, Indonesian and mathematics). The
\nsystem would also open up an opportunity for corruption, critics
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
The minister has been accused of failing to fulfill his
\nearlier promise to eliminate the UAN policy completely. In reply
\nto the criticism, Bambang said that the government had never been
\ninconsistent about its promises. \"It (idea of ending the exam)
\nwas only a tentative comment at the time when I was chosen as a
\nminister.\"<\/p>\n
The current Cabinet team was set up shortly after President
\nSusilo Bambang Yudhoyono was inaugurated in October.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, lawmakers continued to criticize the UAN policy
\nduring Monday's meeting. Commission X chairman Heri Akhmadi
\ninsisted that the policy was inconsistent with the existing law,
\nbut he did not explain exactly how.<\/p>\n
He also said that there was concern among lawmakers about
\npossible corruption, particularly with the funds allocated for
\nfinancing the UAN, because the details had not been spelled out
\nin the 2005 state budget.<\/p>\n
This year's test will be implemented in May and October.
\nStarting from 2006, the UAN will be held in February and October.
\nThere will not be a second examination, meaning unsuccessful
\nstudents will need to repeat their final year.<\/p>\n
The minister and legislators were unable to reach an agreement
\non the possible solutions to the UAN problems. A meeting focused
\non those will be held on Thursday.(005)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/independent-body-to-run-exams-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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