The final examinations for senor high schools in the

The final examinations for senor high schools in the archipelago commenced on May 5 and are to end tomorrow, May 8, while the national examinations for junior high schools will be held from May 19 to May 22.

This year's school examinations are different from those of previous years. According to the Minister of National Education Decree No. 017/U/2003, only students with a grade average of 6 will pass the exam, and a grade of 3 is not permitted in any subject.

Only those who pass the exam will receive diplomas, which means that those who do not pass will not advance to higher institutions.

In the past, every student received a diploma confirming that they had completed their schooling, but without acknowledging whether they had passed the exam or not.

The government offers another chance for those unlucky students who did not pass their exams to take another examination between July 8 and July 10. This policy, however, raises a serious conflict for junior high school students. High school enrollment, for example, will have already closed by the time the junior high school students have finished their second examination attempt and received their diplomas. This means that they will have to wait one full year until they can enroll in high school.

It is imperative that the Education Offices at the provincial and regental levels issue a directive to senior high schools in their jurisdiction to prevent these junior high school students from being put back a year in their educational career.

The high school students who take their final examination a second time will have no problems, because there is enough time between the end of the second examination and the start of university entrance exams.

-- Warta Kota, Jakarta

Hard times, challenges, keep haunting Iraqis

The short war in Iraq has caused serious and numerous damages that will require a very long time from which to recover.

Worse, not all ruined or destroyed properties can be repaired or replaced. Many irreplaceable historical buildings and artifacts revealing the greatness of the Mesopotamian and Babylonian civilizations have been destroyed -- nothing can restore, renew or replace them. Such losses have affected not only the Iraqi people, but also the world community.

The postwar situation is getting more and more complicated, and the presence of U.S. and British troops have raised much controversy.

Iraq is now being run by an ad interim government sponsored by the U.S., while a transition government is expected to be established by the Iraqi people (the Group of Nine) by the middle of this month.

America will guide the Iraqis in setting up the transition government, and the transition government will most likely be accused of being an American puppet. In this sense, it can be expected that the transition government will face serious resistance from the Iraqi people.

Before the war, Iraq had already been suffering from an economic embargo placed upon it by the United Nations for the country's invasion of Kuwait in 1990.

Given the recent situation and conditions, the world can imagine just how long the Iraqi people will continue to suffer.

-- Kompas, Jakarta

Working spouses

What is surprising is why it took so long. It is a belated recognition that the foreign wives of Malaysians constitute a skilled human resource that should have been harnessed in tandem with their welcome as new citizens.

However, the new ruling applies only to foreign wives. What about foreign husbands of Malaysian women? They should be allowed to find employment as well. If there is justification for the foreign wives to work in the country, there is no reason why the foreign husbands should continue to be barred from doing so. Hopefully, the authorities will relax the ruling to accommodate them too.

The foreign wives include professionals who could not be employed because of the ruling. Now that they can, they will help to augment the pool of such professionals. Some of the foreign wives who are proficient in English or come from English-speaking countries can also teach the language in schools and private institutions. Even if they are not trained as teachers, they can go for short-term courses. There could be other areas in which the foreign spouses can help make up for the lack of local skills.

In the expanding economy and its ever increasing demand for skills and talent, foreign spouses represent a continuing influx of both. Their contribution can only be positive.

-- New Straits Times, Kuala Lumpur