Being a Tim Pemantau Independen (Independent Monitoring Team) member for 2008's SMA (Senior High School) and SMP (Junior High School) UAN (National Final Test) assured me that the implementation of UAN is not appropriate yet.
Lots of the teachers (from my interaction with them) complaint about Government's policy that set a standard of graduation for UAN (a student must pass a certain grade to be considered graduated). They said that the standard only applicable if all schools in Indonesia got the same facilities. The situation now is, only schools located in cities (mostly) got good facilities.
In my opinion, UAN is good, because the students can measure themselves, whether they've acquired a decent knowledge or not. But, the result of UAN shouldn't be used to determine students' graduation. I agree that the graduation of students is determined only by the schools, since they're the one who has guided the students from the early stage of their education.
If the students decided to continue their study, let the next-level institution determine whether a student fulfill their requirements or not. For example, a high school can set a standard of SMP UAN's grade of 5.5 to enter their school.
Of course several things need to be considered more thoroughly, like if all of SMA set their standard of SMP UAN's grade of 5 then there must be left some students who can't enter SMA.
Since the government decided that there will be minimum score for school graduation (from elementary to senior high school), everyone feel the anxiety (except my mom because her children all grown up now). But one thing I do believe, that the government isn't stupid people (please put corruption out of this discussion ok). The government is trying to return to the old policy, around the year '60 or '70, where there were minimum score (the score was 60 of 100) for school graduation. I remember my mom told me about it. At that time, they were studying without books, only with "batu tulis". But they could make it, they passed the examination. Now, every students have books, then why they feel afraid that they will fail.
ReplyDeleteYes, most people feel uneasy about it. But please look at the bright side, at least, it will create better generation, better than your generation and better than my generation.
The most ridiculous of all, is when my cousin who had her exam (she is in the last year elementary school) said that the teacher supervisor told them it was OK for them to cheat. What the **? Instantly, teacher value decreases in my point of view. Sad but true. Want to hear the worst...students who paid their teacher to give them exam's answer. oh, I think I just stop it. But one thing, the anxiety strike not only students in small cities, but also in big cities.
I understand your argument, but I just still don't understand why our Government (in the past and present) sets such a standard. It's acceptable that the Government sets a standard, given that they can guarantee that all schools in all regions have the same facilities, teachers' qualification, etc. If this condition hasn't been fulfilled yet, then it'll be better if the standard is eliminated. The government still can grade the students, but it shouldn't be used to determine whether they will pass or not.
ReplyDeleteHmmm..okay, I admit that complete facilities affects student readiness to have the examination.
ReplyDeleteWhat I can say, in this case, it is the matter of the implementation time. Yes, first, government must improve education facilities in all regions. Then they can implement the graduation standard. But, it will be too looooong to wait education facilities improvement.
But, back to your statement, "the government still can grade the students, but it shouldn't be used to determine whether they will pass or not."
So, if the government can't use the grade to determine students' graduation. So, what will it be? :)
It's not a trick question, because the answer also haven't cross my mind .. yet..:D
Yup, it'll take lots of time to make the distribution of facilities equal, that's why I suggest that government eliminate the standardization. This doesn't mean government should eliminate UAN program.
ReplyDeleteLet the school, as the institution who's really understand the students capability, determine whether the students can pass or not. The result of UAN can be used for another purposes, for example as a tool for a High School to filter out Junior High School's graduates that want to enter the high school.