Junior high schools can organize own tests: Govt
Junior high schools can organize own tests: Govt
Debbie A. Lubis, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The government has gone ahead with its decision to abolish the
national examinations (Ebtanas) for elementary schools this month
through the issuance of a new decree on Friday allowing junior
high schools to organize scholastic and aptitude tests themselves
to screen enrolling students.
This ruling, set out in Ministry of Education Decree No.
051/U/2002 on school enrollment, provides that acceptance by a
junior high school will be based on the grades received in the
final examination in the elementary school, taking into account
the distance between the school and the student's home, talent in
the sporting, artistic, scientific and technological fields, age,
and the economic background of the enrolling student.
"If enrolling students do not meet the requirements, schools
may organize scholastic and aptitude tests," says the decree,
which was unveiled by education minister A. Malik Fadjar on
Friday.
The decree comes into effect on April 10, 2002.
It affects both junior high schools and parents who wish to
enroll their children in particular schools.
Most junior high school administrators prefer to organize
their own tests instead of relying on the students' academic
records since the tests are considered to be more objective and
reliable.
Parents, on the other hand, are worried that their children
will be unable to go to their selected schools as the tests will
give rise to tight competition among prospective students.
Parents have also voiced concerns over possible unfair
practices during the entrance examinations. Cheating, bribery,
marked-up test results and collusion could occur as the schools
have greater authority to organize their own entrance
examinations.
Minister Malik said that the new ruling guaranteed that
schools would have greater authority in managing their own
affairs based on school-based management.
"Of course, there will be many flaws during the first and
second year of the ruling's implementation as the schools need to
adjust themselves," he said.
Aside from the decree on school enrollment, the Ministry of
Education has also recently issued Decree No.047/U/2002 on
national final examinations for junior and senior high schools.
This came into effect on April 4 this year.
The decree authorizes schools to organize their own final
examinations in subjects other than mathematics, physics,
biology, chemistry, Pancasila, Bahasa Indonesia and English.
Although the government provides guidelines, the schools are
free to arrange their final examinations including the planning
and preparation of materials, the test forms, the correcting and
marking system, and the submission of the necessary reports to
the relevant agencies.
The ministry also issued Decree No. 044/U/2002 which provides
for the establishment of an education board in every regency and
municipality, and education committee in every school.
The decree, which took effect on April 2, stipulates that
educationalists, non-governmental organization (NGO)
representatives, community leaders and business people should
have seats on both organizations.
Debbie A. Lubis, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The government has gone ahead with its decision to abolish the
national examinations (Ebtanas) for elementary schools this month
through the issuance of a new decree on Friday allowing junior
high schools to organize scholastic and aptitude tests themselves
to screen enrolling students.
This ruling, set out in Ministry of Education Decree No.
051/U/2002 on school enrollment, provides that acceptance by a
junior high school will be based on the grades received in the
final examination in the elementary school, taking into account
the distance between the school and the student's home, talent in
the sporting, artistic, scientific and technological fields, age,
and the economic background of the enrolling student.
"If enrolling students do not meet the requirements, schools
may organize scholastic and aptitude tests," says the decree,
which was unveiled by education minister A. Malik Fadjar on
Friday.
The decree comes into effect on April 10, 2002.
It affects both junior high schools and parents who wish to
enroll their children in particular schools.
Most junior high school administrators prefer to organize
their own tests instead of relying on the students' academic
records since the tests are considered to be more objective and
reliable.
Parents, on the other hand, are worried that their children
will be unable to go to their selected schools as the tests will
give rise to tight competition among prospective students.
Parents have also voiced concerns over possible unfair
practices during the entrance examinations. Cheating, bribery,
marked-up test results and collusion could occur as the schools
have greater authority to organize their own entrance
examinations.
Minister Malik said that the new ruling guaranteed that
schools would have greater authority in managing their own
affairs based on school-based management.
"Of course, there will be many flaws during the first and
second year of the ruling's implementation as the schools need to
adjust themselves," he said.
Aside from the decree on school enrollment, the Ministry of
Education has also recently issued Decree No.047/U/2002 on
national final examinations for junior and senior high schools.
This came into effect on April 4 this year.
The decree authorizes schools to organize their own final
examinations in subjects other than mathematics, physics,
biology, chemistry, Pancasila, Bahasa Indonesia and English.
Although the government provides guidelines, the schools are
free to arrange their final examinations including the planning
and preparation of materials, the test forms, the correcting and
marking system, and the submission of the necessary reports to
the relevant agencies.
The ministry also issued Decree No. 044/U/2002 which provides
for the establishment of an education board in every regency and
municipality, and education committee in every school.
The decree, which took effect on April 2, stipulates that
educationalists, non-governmental organization (NGO)
representatives, community leaders and business people should
have seats on both organizations.