NATIONAL EXAM IN PROS AND CONS

National exam becomes the hot topic in most of

discussions. Though the Supreme Court has rejected an
appeal by the go-vernment on the organization of the
national exams, the controversy over whether it is
necessary to maintain the national exams (UN) has
continued. Some debates include the primary questions
such as; does the quality of Indonesia education depend
on the national exam?, will the quality of the Indonesian
education system worsen without natipnal exam?
People, who support the national exam explain that the
quality of the Indonesia education system will drop without
the national exam, so they try to defend the current
system.
However there are people who disagree with the opinion. Those who against this national exam kept in
our high school education say that it doesn't need the national exams because the quality of education
does not just depend on the national exam. Further, the national exam only measures a small portion of
students' competence in specific subjects, and does not measure students' competences throughout the
semester.
In fact, the national examination can still be useful as an instrument to evaluate or detect the level of
students' cognitive competence in several subjects, on a national scale.
Source : http://irvanfanorama.blogspot.com/2013/01/discussion-text-national-exam-in-pros.html

NATIONAL EXAM, STILL NEEDED?

Soon students who sit in the last grade of elementary, junior high, and senior high schools also
vocational schools in Indonesia will face the National Exam. Coverage of the National
Examination has highlighted mass media, because the national exam which is intended to
achieve the standard of students' abilities, actually has raised a variety of issues.
The Implementation of the National Examination is based on Article 35 Paragraph (1) of Law no.
20 Year 2003 on National Education System. It has been questioned by many sides since it is
considered contrary to Article 58 Paragraph (1) which states that the evaluation of student
learning outcomes is conducted by educators to monitor the process, progress, and
improvement of the student learning outcomes on an ongoing basis. In fact until 2013, the
National Examination is a determinant of students' graduation.
National Exam has become a scourge for students. It could be that a bright student who does
well at school and in daily life does not pass in the National Examination for failing to meet the
criteria set by the exam organizer. His efforts for many years in teaching and learning activities
would be in vain simply because at the time of the national exam, for some reason, he can not
answer the questions posed to the maximum.
Before the New Order era, Indonesia only knew the word 'test' for the evaluation of a student
who is in the last level of the school, be it elementary school, junior high school, senior high
school and vocational school. During the New Order and the Reformation eras, the term of
exams changed several times . Regulations that follow one after another also changed.
Actually, there are many evaluation methods of teaching and learning that can be applied to the
students. However, one can not be said smart due to scientific intelligence alone. Spiritual and
emotional intelligence is also important. Clearly, through the National Exam, this is not possible
to be evaluated or assessed .
Because of this, many parties are demanding that the government remove the National Exam.
Instead, the evaluation should be returned to the schools. Teachers who educate and teach
the students every day surely are very familiar with who the students ability. Like who are the
smart, mischievous, and talented ones. In order for the evaluation to run as intended, the
Government, in this case the Ministry of Education and Culture, should maximize the function of
school superintendents so that the schools are careful in evaluating and graduating students.
Whatever will be done by the Government in dealing with the implementation of the National
Examination, it must be kept in mind that students will not become smart instantly, although
he is a genius. Do not just judge the students by the National Examination results which only
last a few days. It is necessary to assess the level of achievement of students from the
beginning to end. Whatever the method is , National Examination is not enough to evaluate a
student.
Source : http://en.voi.co.id/voi-editorial/6069-national-exam-still-needed