National
Examination is a way in educational system to become the measurement of
students’ comprehension and competence of studying. According to Cambridge
dictionary 3rd edition explains that exam is a test of students’
knowledge or skill in particular subjects which result in qualification if the
students are successful. National Examination itself becomes the standard of
perspicacity of a citizen in a nation. It affects citizen’s interest a lots.
However, National Examination influences people with its effects. It brings
good effects as well as bad effects to citizen. Here, the good and bad
effects that National Examination brings toward Indonesia Citizen especially.
National
exam in Indonesia brings good influences toward Indonesia’s citizen, whether it
is students themselves, Indonesia government, or even the education
institution. First,National exam became the national standard of
educational quality in Indonesia. It becomes the measurement of the Indonesia
students’ competence and comprehension toward the courses they have been
learned in school. Sulistyo (2004) excerpted from Prameswari (2004) concludes
that National Exam prevents the gap among school existing in different
districts and provinces in Indonesia. Second, it eases students as well the
teachers to focus on national exam subjects. Sulistyo (2009) stated that UN has
been considered as potential way in leading student to mechanistic rote
learning, with the sole purpose in response to limited learning targets.
Since national exam
focuses on 4-5 main subjects, the teachers as well as the students have a main
purpose at the end of study program. They have purpose in their study and teaching
so that they only focus on passing the main subjects. Bahasa Indonesia, Mathematics, and English are considered as the
main subjects of UN’s subjects. Sulistyo (2009) excerpted from Musthofa (2004),
concludes that those three main subjects are considered as a strategic policy
in responding to the challengers in this global era and it prepares human
sources of Indonesia to survive in global era. Also, Sulistyo (2004) believes
that National Exam plays an initial momentum that can be used as the
springboard to improve the quality of national education practices.
On the other hand,
National Exam has also brought the bad effects to Indonesia’s citizens. First, national
exam only focuses in 4-5 main subjects and rules out the others subjects such
as art and sport. Student who interest in art as well as sport will not have a
chance to develop their skill. As Sulistyo (2004) concludes in his article that
test items in UN are prone to
invokethinking that hinders the development of the students multiple
intelligences. Since it only focuses in 4-5 main subjects, students and teacher as
well tend to underestimate the other subjects. As said in Sulistyo’s article
(2009) excerpted from Santoso
(2004) has been ofthe negative opinions as follows. Test items in UN have
merely oriented to academicpedagogical perspectives, building a possible
character for the students to be insensitive to their environment. Also, the
test items in UN do not stimulate students logical thinking, innovative
thoughts, and emotional survival.
As it is has the
passing grade that has to be accepted by both students and teacher,
unconsciously, it presses them. No doubt that approach from National Exam,
there are always some cases state that students in the end of the year involves
suicide or doing criminal such as, cheating or buying the answer key from an
educational institution. It is supported from Sulistyo’s article (2009) that the establishing of the passing grade(or
the upcoming UN, it is set up at a figure 4.5) constitutes a
stress or that potentially horrifies students. In an interview with one of the citizens of
Bojonegoro, in 2012, there was a case when a teacher of vocational high school
gave the answer key of 2012 National Exam to his students in order to pass the
passing grade.
In
brief, there are always two side of National Exam in Indonesia. There is no
doubt that it becomes people concern and brings controversy. Thus, National
Exam brings good effects as well as bad effects for Indonesian. It becomes the
national standard of educational quality and it prepares Indonesia human
sources in facing the challengers in this global era. Besides, national exam
only focuses in 4-5 main subjects that unconsciously, makes students as well
teacher underestimate other subjects which are as important as main subjects of
National Exam. In addition, National Exam forces a half of students as well
teachers in doing crime such as cheating and leaking the question sheets and
the answer keys. Since it brings different impacts, we strongly recommend that
to face this phenomenon, government as the strongest control of Indonesia
citizens should rethink about the impacts of National Exam and consider that
the National Exam brings in the future. Also, citizen should be mature in
facing and handling this phenomenon.
References:
·
An interview with
Bojonegoro’s citizen about a vocational high school’s headmaster sold answer
key to his students.
·
Sulistyo, Gunadi H.
English as Measurement Standard in the National Examination. TEFLIN Journal,
February 2009.
Name
:
Chory Trisa Y.
Dinda Maulana A.
Raadiyah
St. Mufarrahah
Tisyrinul A.
Yudha
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