Intelligence body will secure exam material<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The repeated leaking of National Examination
\n(Ebtanas) material has prompted the Ministry of National
\nEducation to seek help from the State Intelligence Coordinating
\nBoard.<\/p>\n
\"We will reduce the bureaucracy involved in distributing
\nEbtanas material and coordinate the printing and security
\narrangements with the State Intelligence Coordinating Board
\n(BAKIN),\" Director General for Primary and Secondary Education
\nIndra Djati Sidi said.<\/p>\n
His comments were made on the sidelines of the opening of a
\nnational meeting on Ebtanas on Thursday afternoon.<\/p>\n
Included in the new procedures would be the design, printing
\nand distribution of exam materials, Indra said.<\/p>\n
The process of determining printing companies at the
\nprovincial level, and further details of security arrangements,
\nwould be discussed with BAKIN.<\/p>\n
\"In this 2000\/2001 Ebtanas, the dummy of the exams material
\nwill go directly to the printing house,\" he said.<\/p>\n
\"The printed materials will then be sent straight to the
\nschools, unlike previous years in which the papers had to go
\nthrough the ministry (provincial) office and then to the agency.<\/p>\n
\"Therefore the possibility of leaks can be avoided
\naltogether.\"<\/p>\n
As well, this year's answers will not be printed and
\ndistributed at the same time as the Ebtanas material.<\/p>\n
\"Learning from past mistakes, the answer key will now be given
\nafter the exams are completed,\" Indra said.<\/p>\n
Unlike past years, exam material issued to each province would
\ndiffer, although the content would be standard.<\/p>\n
In the past, several schools reportedly had to annul the exam
\nbecause of leaked material and hold the test again.<\/p>\n
Minister of National Education Yahya Muhaimin chaired
\nThursday's meeting on Ebtanas, which involved some 360 education
\nministerial offices at provincial and regency levels.<\/p>\n
A total of Rp 160 billion (US$16 million) is being disbursed
\nto provinces so the Ebtanas fee can be waived for elementary and
\njunior high school students.<\/p>\n
According to the ministry, this year there are 6,917,891
\nelementary and junior high school students undertaking the
\nEbtanas.<\/p>\n
Of that total, 4,191,296 are elementary students.<\/p>\n
The previous Ebtanas fee varied from Rp 20,000 to Rp 40,000
\nacross the regions, depending on the cost of materials and
\nproduction.<\/p>\n
The annual test is usually conducted around May.<\/p>\n
\"With this new arrangement we hope there will be no more
\nlevies imposed on the parents,\" minister Yahya said.<\/p>\n
\"Stern action, including administrative sanctions, will be
\nimposed on schools or any other personnel collecting such
\nlevies.\"<\/p>\n
The total Rp 160 billion Ebtanas fee covers all expenses
\nincluding the printing process, distribution and honorarium for
\nofficials involved in the scheme.<\/p>\n
\"As for the senior high school students, the fee should be
\ncovered by the local administration since the budget has been
\nincluded in the General Allocation Fund (DAU),\" Yahya said.<\/p>\n
Certain fees for the regular examination (EBTA), however,
\nwould still be imposed as the government did not have adequate
\nfunds to waive them.<\/p>\n
\"The EBTA fee will be varied based on the arrangement with the
\nlocal office of education and the schools, especially since we
\nhave entered the regional autonomy scheme.\"<\/p>\n
The three-day meeting on Ebtanas will also discuss the quality
\nof the test material and the management, control, supervision,
\nsecurity, selection and certification process.<\/p>\n
\"I do hope that we can set a better standard for our Ebtanas
\nso in the long run the national examination test will receive
\ninternational recognition,\" Yahya said. (edt)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/intelligence-body-will-secure-exam-material-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}