Story of Enthusiastic and Optimistic Special Needs Students Participating in Academic Ability Test

As a continuation of the academic mapping policy implemented for secondary education last year, the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education has once again held the Academic Ability Test (TKA) since Monday (6/4). This time, the TKA is specifically for SMP/MTs/equivalent levels, including students from Special Junior Secondary Schools (SMPLB).

At SLBN Pandaan in Pasuruan, East Java, the TKA implementation took place in a warm and hopeful atmosphere. From the morning, the students arrived and prepared to take the TKA despite their limitations.

“Our students have extraordinary determination and spirit to try and learn to follow this test,” said the Principal of SLBN Pandaan, Iva Evry Robiyansah.

Overall, there were six SMPLB-level students at SLBN Pandaan participating in the TKA today. They are students with hearing impairments.

At SLBN Semarang in Central Java, the TKA implementation proceeded in a relaxed manner. The students completed the TKA questions today joyfully and casually without pressure.

“Coincidentally, our students participating in the TKA are only three, namely two hearing-impaired students and one visually impaired student,” said the Principal of SLBN Semarang, Sri Sugiarti.

According to Sri, these students have been prepared well in advance for the TKA, so they are much more ready when facing the given questions.

Enthusiasm for participating in the TKA was also felt at SLBN West Halmahera. In fact, one student who was not registered for the TKA wanted to take this exam.

“One of our students with intellectual disabilities is actually allowed not to take the TKA, but he wants to join anyway,” said Ismawati Muhammad, Principal of SLBN West Halmahera.

At SLBN West Halmahera itself, the total TKA participants for the SMPLB level numbered nine students. The school has provided brief training on operating laptops or computers for the students and formed a team in the form of a TKA preparation committee tasked with guiding students before the TKA is conducted.

Raka Aditomo Subagyo, one of the TKA participants from the National Level SLBN Jakarta, admitted to being optimistic and able to complete the TKA questions today.

“I’m optimistic because the questions that came out earlier are ones we’ve studied all this time,” said Raka.

According to Raka, in the last few weeks, the school has indeed provided a lot of training to solve exam questions, so he claims not to have too much difficulty in completing the exam questions.

Nevertheless, as a visually impaired student, Raka admitted that the exam questions which heavily use images pose a particular challenge for him.

“We were also assisted by accompanying teachers who help us understand the questions, especially those related to images,” said Raka.

Still according to Raka, besides being accompanied by teachers, he and other visually impaired students were also helped with headset devices to listen to the questions translated with a screen reader.

“Besides for listening, this headset also makes us more focused because the room doesn’t feel noisy,” explained Raka.

The Director General of Secondary Education and Special Education, Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, Tatang Muttaqin, stated that besides for academic mapping, the TKA for SMP/MTs/equivalent, including SMPLB, is also to support the New Student Admission System (SPMB) which will open soon.

“So, the TKA results will later become a separate assessment in the new student admission process. If it’s SMP, it means for entering secondary school,” said Dirjen Tatang.

To the students, Tatang advised prioritising honesty in working on every question.

“No need to be too burdened, but work on the questions with full sincerity,” Dirjen Tatang added.

For information, the TKA for SMP/MTs/equivalent will run for the next two weeks. The TKA itself aims to provide objective and comprehensive data on student learning achievements as a basis for improving learning and data-based education policy making.

The government through the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education (Kemendikdasmen) today, Monday (6/5), officially conducted the Academic Ability Test (TKA) for the SMP level.

The Minister of Basic and Secondary Education Abdul Mu’ti inspected the TKA implementation for SMP in Tangerang. He emphasised that TKA is not a determinant of graduation but rather a quality mapping.

Kemendikdasmen recorded that 98% of SMP students participated in the Academic Ability Test (TKA). Minister Abdul Mu’ti emphasised that TKA is not mandatory and is optional.