`I couldn't focus on my exams due to poverty'

About 16 percent of 131,151 high school students did not pass the final exams, the Jakarta Higher Education Agency said earlier this week, but they still had another chance to retake them. In the past, exams for the entire curriculum were set by the government; now the government has set exams for only three subjects, while the remainder are the responsibility of the schools. Students must attain an average of at least 6.0 points to pass the test, and each score must be at least 3.01. The Jakarta Post talked to several students who had failed the exam.

Iis, not her real name, 20, is a final-year student at a private senior high school in Rawamangun, East Jakarta. She lives in Klender, East Jakarta, with her family:

I'm sad as I failed the final examination. What am I supposed to do now?

To tell you the truth, I failed to concentrate on the final exam due to financial problems. My parents had not yet paid the exam fees completely.

For the National Final Exam (UAN), I had to pay more or less Rp 400,000, plus another Rp 200,000 for the School Final Exams (UAS). It was quite a lot of money, more or less unaffordable for my parents.

The financial problem troubled me a lot, and I found it hard to concentrate fully on the exams. I didn't perform very well in them.

I'll have a second chance to take the final exams, which will be free this time.

I disagree with the new final examination system imposed this year -- it's very complicated. The system does not benefit students, and, of course, the administrative fee is pretty steep too.

However, it's the government's new policy -- there's nothing we can do about it.

I'd like to continue my studies at college but I won't be able to afford it.

Budi, not his real name, 18, is a third-grade student at a state senior high school in Kelapa Gading, North Jakarta. He lives in Sukapura, North Jakarta, with his family:

I'm not sad, even though I failed the final exam. I'm just trying to remain optimistic as I'll still have a chance to retake the exam next month.

I'm pretty sure I'll pass the retake. I'm not too worried about it as I'll study hard beforehand.

To be honest, I focused my efforts on the three UAN subjects at the expense of the UAS ones.

Maybe I wasn't well enough prepared. I think that's why I failed the UAS tests. Besides, I didn't anticipate that my school wouldn't try to pass students who had failed.

I reckon that the school has imposed a strict grading system, so there's less chance of getting our grades marked up.

In fact, my UAN grades were above the minimum requirements. However, the cumulative average of both UAS and UAN grades was below the standard for a pass.

I don't know whether or not I'll continue my studies at college because I want to concentrate on my final exams first.

Hadi, not his real name, 20, is another third-year student at a state senior high school in North Jakarta. He lives in Bremis, North Jakarta, with his family:

I can't deny that I feel rather disappointed about my final exam results, even though I'd prepared well for them.

The new system is much tougher, compared with the old one. Besides, the way it has been implemented has come as quite a shock to me.

I failed the final exams because my cumulative achievement points were less than 6.0. I hadn't really anticipated how difficult the five UAS subjects would be, I guess. Accounting and economics were the hardest.

However, I don't blame the teachers here but rather myself for not being well-prepared enough before the tests. Also, I believe that none of the teachers here marked up any of the papers in order to pass them.

I disagree with the new system because it might frustrate students in their effort to get a place at a higher education institute.

I want to continue by studies, but I'll work first because I don't have enough money for it.

-- Leo Wahyudi S