Math exam for vocational schools<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Education expert Marsetio Donoseputro welcome
\nthe government's recent announcement that mathematics will be
\nincluded in the national examinations required of all vocational
\nstudents.<\/p>\n
The former rector of the state-run Airlangga University in
\nSurabaya suggested that the government, the schools and the
\nteachers prepare for the plan. \"Please also consider how the
\nstudents will react to it,\" he asked of the government when
\ncontacted by The Jakarta Post yesterday.<\/p>\n
Marsetio, a Golkar legislator on the House Commission IX for
\neducation, also suggested that the math subjects be arranged by
\ndegree of difficulty to not shock the students.<\/p>\n
The program in expected to be introduced in May, limiting the
\ntime the government has to get prepared.<\/p>\n
\"The examination should suit the learning materials the
\nstudents have accepted,\" said Marsetio, who once represented
\nIndonesia in the United Nations Education, Science and Cultural
\nOrganization (Unesco).<\/p>\n
Among the vocational schools established here are high schools
\nfor tourism and for basic economics. After passing examinations
\nin their specific vocations -- such as electronics, food
\npreparation and nutrition, wood carving or painting batik -- the
\nvocational students have to take standard national examinations.<\/p>\n
The examinations currently consist of only two subjects: the
\nIndonesian language and (state ideology) Pancasila moral
\neducation.<\/p>\n
Minister of Education and Culture Wardiman Djojonegoro
\nannounced the plan last week. The inclusion of mathematics in the
\nnational examinations will drive vocational schools to give more
\nattention to the subject, he said.<\/p>\n
\"Many vocational schools neglected math because it was not on
\nthe list of subjects which are nationally tested,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Director of Middle Level Vocational Education Jorlin Pakpahan
\ncited vocational school students' poor mathematics ability as the
\nreason behind the plan.<\/p>\n
The industrial sectors, such as tourism, support the plan
\nbecause they too need workers with good math skills, he said.<\/p>\n
Pakpahan pointed out that there are vocational schools which
\ngive first year students only two hours of math per week. Others
\nonly give the subject to second or third year students.<\/p>\n
The plan, he pointed out, should also help in the teaching of
\nthe subject.<\/p>\n
He said the ministry will be able to identify the quality of
\nmathematics teaching in vocational schools after the plan goes
\ninto practice.<\/p>\n
According to 1994 ministry data, there are currently 703
\nstate-run vocational schools with 511,207 students and 2,982
\nprivate vocational schools with 960,263 students.(31)<\/p>",
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