Junior high school exams begin under tight control<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The national final examination (Ebtanas) for
\njunior high schools started on Monday under tight control amid
\nfear of cheating similar to what happened with the senior high
\nschool exam last week.<\/p>\n
Some Ebtanas committee members said such tight control was
\ntaken in stages, including the distribution of the test copies --
\nreaching the schools only hours before the exam -- keeping an eye
\non students during the three-day examination and conducting
\nsporadic raids on students' belongings and, if necessary, their
\npersons.<\/p>\n
\"Last year all of the copies were given to schools one day
\nbefore the test, but this year the examination transcripts were
\ndistributed differently, on the very day as the exam,\" said
\nWaidjo Naibaho, head of the Central Jakarta's 03 schools sub
\nregion which supervised 57 state and privately owned schools at
\nMenteng, Tanah Abang and Gambir subdistricts.<\/p>\n
Waidjo said the committee members took the test copies early
\nin the morning before the exam started to a certain school which
\nhad been appointed as the subregion center, where the materials
\nwere stored.<\/p>\n
\"It's part of the effort to minimize cheating. We support the
\nnew system so that teachers won't be accused of being involved,\"
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
The City Office of the Ministry of National Education
\ndiscovered possible cheating in nine senior high schools during
\nthe exam, which lasted for four days starting on May 22.<\/p>\n
In West Java, transcripts were found in four state high
\nschools in Tangerang: SMU Negeri 2, SMU Negeri 4, SMU Negeri 5,
\nand SMU Negeri 7.<\/p>\n
The office had determined that students who were implicated in
\nmaking use of the test data would undergo makeup examinations on
\nJune 5, along with the one for students who failed to show up for
\nthe initial exam.<\/p>\n
In anticipation of such crimes, the Ministry of National
\nEducation has changed the exam materials for junior high schools.<\/p>\n
Chairman of East Jakarta region Adi Dasmin said that due to
\nhigh security measures, members of the exam committee should stay
\novernight at the schools.<\/p>\n
\"It is the committee members who should check the materials,
\ndistribute them for each school and guard the papers upon their
\narrival,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Such tight controls were obvious on Monday. Even at SLTPN 07
\nin Utan Kayu area, East Jakarta, all of the students' belongings,
\nincluding their shoes, were placed outside the classrooms.<\/p>\n
Tight security was also seen at SLTPN 08 at Pegangsaan area
\nand SLTPN 01 at Cikini area, both in Central Jakarta. Security
\nguards could also be found at the school entrance.<\/p>\n
\"We're just trying o avoid any problems,\" said B. Sagala,
\nEbtanas committee chairman of SLTPN 08.<\/p>\n
Head of the national education office, Alwi Nurdin, said
\nseparately on Monday that the office had finished scanning the
\nsenior high school Ebtanas test results.<\/p>\n
\"However, we can't disclose our findings now,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Contacted separately, chairman of the Jakarta Examination
\nCommittee, Sulaeman Hariadi said the findings would first be
\ndiscussed with school region chairpersons starting at 8 p.m. on
\nMonday.<\/p>\n
\"The next step is to show the results to the school
\nheadmasters who will decide whether the students should repeat
\nthe exam, for the headmasters are the ones who really know their
\nstudents' abilities,\" he said.<\/p>\n
In a related development, about 100 senior high school
\nstudents staged a demonstration at the Jakarta office of the
\nnational education ministry on Monday afternoon seeking
\nclarification on the makeup exam. (ind)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/junior-high-school-exams-begin-under-tight-control-1447893297",
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