Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education Prepares Follow-up Academic Ability Test for Disaster-Affected Schools

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education (Kemendikdasmen) is preparing a follow-up schedule for the Academic Ability Test (TKA) for schools affected by disasters. Minister of Basic and Secondary Education (Mendikdasmen), Abdul Mu’ti, stated that the ministry has received reports of several schools impacted by disasters on the first day of TKA implementation for junior secondary education level. He emphasised that the ministry is preparing a follow-up TKA schedule, not a retake, for test participants whose school areas have recently experienced disasters or for those who fell ill on the day of the TKA. The follow-up TKA schedule for junior secondary education level will be held after the completion of the TKA series for primary education level, namely on 11-17 May. “That is why we have made the schedule with a long range. Various other factors that we refer to as force majeure have been anticipated with the follow-up test. So, insha’Allah, everything can proceed as it should,” said Mu’ti. Meanwhile, for schools that do not have computer laboratory facilities, the ministry has already mapped them and directed them to use facilities at other schools with adequate computer laboratories. This sharing mechanism, according to Mu’ti, does not have to be at the same school level, so junior secondary TKA participant schools can share with the nearest senior secondary or primary schools that have computer laboratories. “So there is no problem. Those without computer laboratories can share with other schools, and the sharing does not have to be at the same level, because the schedules do not overlap. So, currently, junior secondary schools can also share with primary and senior secondary schools; we have prepared this well in advance of the implementation,” he said.