Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education: Number of TKA applicants rises by almost 350,000

The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education (Kemendikdasmen) has reported that the number of applicants for the Academic Competency Test (TKA) at the SMA/SMK (high school/vocational school) level who have completed the full registration process has increased by 350,000 compared to last year.

The Head of the Agency for Educational Policy and Quality Development (BKPDM) of Kemendikdasmen, Toni Toharudin, stated that 3,863,957 students have completed the TKA registration process this year. This represents an increase from the 2025 TKA, which recorded 3,518,167 students, marking a rise of 345,790 students or 9.8 per cent.

“This year, the number of TKA applicants has increased by almost 10 per cent compared to the previous year. This indicates increasingly widespread participation from educational units and students. We are also still resolving residual data, so the number of recorded prospective participants may still increase,” Toni said in Jakarta on Thursday.

Consequently, following the closure of registration, Kemendikdasmen, alongside local governments and educational units, is continuing the process of updating and resolving residual data.

This process, according to Toni, is being conducted to ensure that the data of prospective participants is complete and accurate before entering the implementation stage of the TKA.

Kemendikdasmen expressed its appreciation to local governments, educational units, teachers, parents, and prospective participants who have supported the 2026 TKA registration process. He noted that collaboration among all parties is a vital component in ensuring the readiness of assessment implementation across various regions of Indonesia.

Furthermore, the ministry is preparing for the TKA implementation, which is scheduled to take place from 26 October to 8 November 2026.

Preparations, Toni continued, include the readiness of educational units, infrastructure, systems, as well as coordination with local governments, regional offices of the Ministry of Religious Affairs, state universities, and various relevant stakeholders.

The ministry emphasised that the TKA is not a determinant of graduation and does not replace the assessments conducted by educational units.

“The TKA complements information regarding student learning achievements, so it can be utilised for various educational needs,” Toni asserted.

Ahead of the implementation, Kemendikdasmen has encouraged all students to prepare themselves by studying diligently and maintaining their health. Educational units are also expected to ensure technical readiness and provide guidance to students to ensure the TKA is conducted in an orderly and smooth manner.