Official admits national exams are inadequate

JAKARTA (JP): The government admitted on Tuesday that the current national final examination is inadequate in testing students' academic ability.

The Ministry of Education's director general for primary and secondary education, Indra Djati Sidi, admitted that the National Examination (Ebtanas) had drawbacks and said his office is now developing a new system to replace it.

"So, we have to change our evaluation. We will not only test the students' cognitive abilities with the present multiple- choice test, but also their ability at reasoning and a host of other skills," he told The Jakarta Post by phone.

Indra said, however, that the government would not rush to replace the national exams because it would take a long time to develop the new one as experts will have to try out all kinds of tests to find the most effective system.

"There is no need to rush any change because it could lead to chaos.

"Moreover, we cannot just terminate the old system, because like it or not, there should be a national examination to evaluate students to screen those wishing to enter higher education," he argued.

The country holds national exams for final-year students of every elementary school, junior school, high school and vocational school to test out their knowledge on several primary subjects, such as mathematics, civics, science and Bahasa Indonesia.

There have been many cases of exam leaks in which students have been lured to buy exam papers. As all the questions were multiple choice, those who cheated could easily pass the test.

The House of Representatives, in a hearing on Monday, proposed to the government to terminate Ebtanas.

But Indra, as well as education expert J. Drost, told the Post separately that a final test for high school students is still needed.

Drost said that such an examination will force schools to prepare their students well in order for them to be able to pursue higher education.

State universities are only able to provide one seat for every 10 or more applicants.

He said that there had been a suggestion to terminate state university entrance examinations because their fees were too expensive for students.

"Universities should be allowed to have their own test, for example, a color-blind test for chemistry student candidates. But there should be a general test to say that they have met the necessary standards to enter certain universities," he added.

Indra was confident with the plan to have the new system as the ministry was now arranging a new curriculum based on student competence.

"It means, if we want our students to run 100 meters, we will teach them how to do it and test them by asking them to run 100 meters and not by asking them about the theory of how to run," he said. (bby)