Students allowed to skip exams

BENGKULU: High school students will be given leniency and be allowed to postpone sitting for examinations if they arrive late or cannot get to school as a result of public transportation strikes.

"I have instructed principals to list students who are unable to take part in the exams so they can do a follow-up test," Mardansyah, head of the provincial education and culture office, said as quoted by Antara yesterday.

However, there were no reports of absentees as of yesterday evening.

He discounted suggestions that the charge of between Rp 23,000 and Rp 27,500 for those sitting for exams was too high.

He said if some parents found the cost too high, they could submit papers describing their financial status and ask to be exempted. (mds)