Action taken to stop final exam cheating

JAKARTA (JP): Education officials have enlisted police help to ensure copies of the upcoming national final examinations (Ebtanas) will not be leaked to studens.

From previous years' experience when students obtained test copies before the exam, officials said they took preemptive measures, including establishing coordination with the city police.

"We will use different methods in preventing the examination sheets from all leakage possibilities," head of the Jakarta office of the Ministry of National Education Alwi Nurdin told The Jakarta Post by phone on Saturday.

"They will include police involvement in all stages, from printing, storage, and distribution of the examination sheets."

The nationwide final examination for high school students will be held from Monday until Thursday.

Final examinations for junior high school students will be from May 29 until May 31, while elementary school students will have their final exams from June 5 until June 7.

Attempts at cheating are a perennial headache for educators.

Several methods have been used to prevent the lealeakages, including rotating teachers from one school to another.

"Teachers will supervise the final examination in other schools. They will also supervise the subjects other than the ones they usually teach," he said.

"The examination will also be fully computerized to minimize human intervention to get the purest results."

Alwi said the office prepared alternative examinations in the event of reports of cheating. (nvn)