Gov’t Scraps This Year’s National Exam Amid Covid-19 Outbreak
Minister of Education and Culture delivers his press statement through video conferencing, Tuesday (24/3). (Photo by: PR / Ibrahim)
In a bid to protect students across the country amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the Government has cancelled this year’s national exam.
Indonesian Minister of Education and Culture Nadiem Makarim on Tuesday (24/3) confirmed this through video conferencing. According to Nadiem, the Government made the decision based on the following considerations”
First, health and safety of the students is everything.
According to Nadiem, national exam may pose enormous health risks to eight million students and their families.
“Nothing is more important than the health and safety of students and their families. For that reason, national exam this year will be canceled,” Nadiem said.
Second, national exam does not function as the entrance test for state universities, nor for graduation.
“After weighing the pros and cons, we have considered that there will be more risks if we hold the exam,” Nadiem added.
In addition, the Government will not allow any schools to gather students in classrooms to conduct school exams and the exams can be administered online in place of of face-to-face tests.
“There are several options to administer school exams, including through online exams or through the cumulative scores from the last five semesters,” the Minister said.
Nadiem went on to say that the Government does not force every school to measure curriculum achievements since there are several online schools that have yet to be optimal.
“We do not force them to measure the achievements, considering that our learning system is disrupted by the covid-19 outbreak,” the Minister added.
On the state school enrollment selection (PPDB), the Minister said that 70 percent of students are determined based on the provincial zoning system, while the two options will be implemented to the remaining students based on the achievements path program.
“The cancelation of national exam should not affect school enrollment selection in junior and senior high schools,” Nadiem said.
The Minister also urged regional governments to ensure that all teachers have provided assignments from home in a bid to maintain teacher safety.
The Minister also underlined that teachers should interact and communicate with the students during online learning to assist them to complete their homework.
“I have received reports regarding parents’ complaints because teachers only provide a lot of homework without guidance to their students,” Nadiem said.
Nadiem also urged all Indonesian people to pay serious attention to the instruction regarding social distancing and physical distancing, especially for those who live with parents aged 60 years and above.
“Please, do not touch and keep your distance from those aged 60 or older since they are more vulnerable to the disease than the young ones,” the he said. (FID / EN)
Translated by: Syarifah Aisyah
Reviewed by: M. Ersan Pamungkas
