Government Prepares Regulation for Holding Test
Tuesday, 14 November, 2006 | 16:29 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta: The Department of National Education is preparing a ministerial regulation as a legal umbrella in order to accelerate the national test schedule. “This November, the ministerial regulation will be issued as the legal umbrella,” said Secretary of National Education Standards Agency Suharsono yesterday (11/13).

According to Suharsono, the prepared ministerial regulation includes the standards of competence of national test acceptance, systems and procedures, and matters on how to accommodate model students that do not pass one of the subjects of study.

Sudarsono said that the national test of 2007 will be held in April, which is quicker than the usual test in May. “Let them focus and be fresher before taking other tests,” said Suharsono. The test will be held once. However, a make-up test will be held for ill students.

Despite the test acceleration, the status of the national test as one of the determiners of students' passing will not alter. Anther condition would be that students have finished all learning processes; obtaining good marks on such subjects as religion, ethics, aesthetics, sports, and passing the school test.

“If the national test isn’t held, there is a tendency that students will all pass since school authorities do not have the courage to give poor marks on as well as on the school test,” said Suharsono. Therefore, the national test is required in order to watch the quality of schools and students.

Nur Aini