Regular EBTA to be removed from curriculum
JAKARTA (JP): Regular examinations (EBTAs) will no longer be mandatory for elementary through to senior high school students as local education administrations will be responsible for evaluating students, officials said on Saturday.
"We still use the national examination (Ebtanas) as our national standard to measure quality.
"But in line with the spirit of decentralization, the regular evaluation through EBTA is no longer obligatory," Director General of Primary and Secondary Education Indra Djati Sidi told the media after the closing ceremony of the national coordination meeting on Ebtanas here on Saturday.
Indra further said that there were five evaluation components for elementary through to senior high school, namely homework, daily tests, quarter period tests, EBTA and Ebtanas.
"The one that is mandatory is Ebtanas. And some schools feel that their quarter period test is sufficient and therefore they do not need EBTA for their students," he said.
In the process of adjusting to decentralization in education, schools and local education offices are being given greater freedom to determine the best learning and evaluation methods for their students, Indra said.
"This is in line with the concept of school-based management.
"Therefore, it is now up to the agreements and commitment between schools and local administrations in the regional and provincial level to decide whether they still need EBTA or not," he said.
The agreement, however, must address several issues such as the prevention of applying levies for such tests, he added.
Separately in Purwokerto, Central Java, Minister of National Education Yahya Muhaimin said the EBTA fee would become the responsibility of local administrations and schools.
On the Ebtanas scheme, a joint decree was issued on March 21 on standard procedure for the program and free Ebtanas for elementary and junior high school students between three ministers -- the minister of national education, the minister of home affairs and regional autonomy and the minister of religious affairs.
A Rp 161 billion (US$ 16.1 million) budget is available to cover the expense of Ebtanas for 6,975,893 elementary and junior high school students during the 2000/2001 school year.
Ebtanas usually takes place annually in May.
"This year, we're also providing emergency Ebtanas arrangement for some 7,700 students who fled unrest in Sampit (in Central Kalimantan) and are residing in refugee camps in East Java," Yahya told The Jakarta Post after the opening of a German- Indonesia Marine Development seminar in Purwokerto.
Further data from strife-torn or disaster-hit areas are still being compiled, the minister added.
The national coordination meeting also concluded that this year three provinces -- North Sumatra, Central Java and West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) -- would set their own Ebtanas test materials for elementary school. NTB will also make its own test material for junior high school students.
"NTB has set its own test materials for years, while the other provinces will have the calibrated and tested exam material from the examination center's test material bank," head of the examination center Jahja Umar said.
Ebtanas is slated to take place from May 28 until May 31 for senior high school students with an additional time frame from June 5 until June 8 for those who fail to sit the test; junior high school students from June 5 to June 7 with a reserve period from June 12 until June 14.
Ebtanas for elementary school students will take place from June 11 until June 13, with an additional reserve period from June 18 until June 20. (edt)