Minister of Basic and Secondary Education Admits Trial of Academic Ability Test for Primary and Junior High Schools Still Faces Obstacles

The Minister of Basic and Secondary Education (Mendikdasmen), Abdul Mu’ti, stated that the implementation of the trial for the Academic Ability Test (TKA) at the primary school (SD) and junior high school (SMP) levels is still encountering obstacles. These obstacles range from power outages to slow system access in several regions, particularly in remote areas such as East Nusa Tenggara (NTT). According to Minister Mu’ti, these various disruptions are normal because the TKA is currently in the trial or try-out phase, aimed at measuring the system’s readiness before full implementation. “This is still the try-out period. So we are indeed measuring the system’s capacity, including how many students can access it at one time,” said Mu’ti when met at his residence in Pondok Cabe, South Tangerang, Banten, on Tuesday, 17 March 2026. One of the problems that arose is the system slowing down when accessed simultaneously by many participants. This is being used as material for evaluation to determine the future TKA implementation scheme, including dividing sessions or shifts for participants. “If the loading becomes too heavy and slows down, that would be problematic. That’s why we are now engineering it so that access is not slow in every school,” said Mu’ti. In addition to network technical issues, power disruptions also occurred during the dress rehearsal in NTT. To anticipate this, the government is preparing a mechanism for follow-up exams for affected participants. “If there is a power outage or other obstacles, a follow-up slot can be arranged. Not a retake, but a follow-up,” he explained. A similar scheme applies to students who are unable to attend due to illness or certain reasons. To strengthen infrastructure, the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education is collaborating with various parties, including PLN and Telkom, to ensure smooth electricity supply and internet connectivity. For schools that do not yet have adequate internet access, the government is providing additional technological support. “For those without networks, we also help, for example with Starlink. We facilitate that for schools,” said Mu’ti. He emphasised that all obstacles that emerged during the trial period have been recorded and will serve as evaluation material before the full TKA implementation, so that the system can run smoothly across Indonesia.