School accreditation not final, Wardiman says<\/p>\n
YOGYAKARTA (JP): Minister of Education and Culture Wardiman
\nDjojonegoro assured upset administrators and students of
\nuniversities yesterday that even if their courses failed a recent
\naccreditation program, they could still appeal.<\/p>\n
Wardiman said that the results of an evaluation by the
\nindependent National Accreditation Board was not final, and did
\nnot sound a death toll for the schools.<\/p>\n
The accreditation program's description of a course was only
\ntemporary and a different picture could emerge if the evaluation
\nwas conducted at another time.<\/p>\n
Speaking at an open dialog with students of Yogyakarta's Art
\nInstitute of Indonesia (ISI Yogyakarta), Wardiman said failing
\nthe accreditation did not automatically mean the courses had to
\nstop.<\/p>\n
\"Instead, they will be supervised so they can improve
\nthemselves and meet the standard.\"<\/p>\n
The accreditation board recently announced through a
\nministerial decree that of about 1,400 courses it evaluated at
\nmore than 100 universities across the country, 36 could not be
\naccredited due to poor quality. The 36 courses were operated by
\n31 universities, six of them state-run.<\/p>\n
Seven of the 12 courses at ISI Yogyakarta failed the
\naccreditation program. The courses include theatrical art, visual
\ncommunication design, sculpture, puppet art, photography, musical
\nart and television.<\/p>\n
The ministerial decree provoked violent protest from the
\nstudents. Benches and other campus facilities were burned,
\nleaving a strew of debris.<\/p>\n
Wardiman, who was on campus to inaugurate ISI's new rector I
\nMade Bandem, was forced to hold an open dialog with the students
\nin front of the institute's Gallery Building where the
\ninauguration ceremony was earlier held.<\/p>\n
Seeking to calm the students, Wardiman said the accreditation
\nprogram would help improve the quality of education.<\/p>\n
The accreditation board had set a certain standard to
\ndetermine whether a particular course deserved accreditation, he
\nadded.<\/p>\n
Director General of Higher Education Bambang Suhendro, who
\nalso attended yesterday's inauguration, told The Jakarta Post
\nthat the board had set Dec. 11 as the deadline for universities
\nto send additional information about the courses that failed
\naccreditation.<\/p>\n
\"If they meet the required score, they will be accredited. If
\nthey don't, they will not be accredited,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The board consists of 17 permanent members and more than 50
\npanelists. Twelve regional working groups consisting of three to
\nfive members were also formed to help the board evaluate the
\nschools in each of the 12 regions.<\/p>\n
\"There are about 10,000 courses across the country to be
\naccredited. The job is supposed to be accomplished within five
\nyears,\" Bambang said, adding that each accreditation given by BAN
\nis valid for five years. (swa\/23)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/school-accreditation-not-final-wardiman-says-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}