Govt to reveal exams' materials

JAKARTA: In a bid to help more students pass final exams, the Ministry of National Education will let the students know beforehand all of the material that will appear on next year's tests, an unprecedented effort deemed counterproductive by at least one observer.

"We will explain the material directly to the students in December. In the past, we just told the schools," the ministry's director general for basic and secondary education, Indra Jati Sidi, said on Saturday

He said the policy would give students a better chance of achieving good results on their final exams, so more students would graduate next year than in previous years.

He also said there would be some changes to the format of the exams next year.

"In the past, the grade for theory and application were combined. Next year they will be separated," he was quoted by Antara as saying.

Education observer Darmaningtyas lashed out at the plan to tell students what material would be on the finals, saying it would reduce the quality of graduates.

"Announcing the material is unnecessary if the students are diligent and eager to learn their lessons," Darmaningtyas said, adding that knowing the materials beforehand would not encourage the students to learn other subjects. -JP