Criticism of the National Examination

29 aspects of objectives which include cognitive, affective, and psychomotor aspects Harti, n.d. It only covers cognitive aspect Harti. 4 The National Examination Had the Potential to Increase Dropping Out Risk High stake test such as the National Examination has the potential to increase dropping out risk, especially for students from lower class Cunningham Sanzo, 2002; Dee Jacob, 2006; Marchant Paulson, 2005; National Research Council, 1997; Reardon, 1996; Warren, Jenkins Kulick, 2006 as paraphrased in teKUN eF, 2012, students from minority group Dee Jacob, 2006; National Research Council, 1997; Reardon, 1996; Warren, Jenkins, Kulick, 2006 as paraphrased in teKUN eF, and students with low academic achievement Archer Dresden, 1987; Bishop Mane, 2001; Jacob, 2001 as paraphrased in teKUN eF. Sarasvati‟s research also showed how the National Examination as a high stake test made two of her students dropped out of school and one of her students almost dropped out of school 2012. Sarasvati‟s students were from lower class family. Two students who dropped out did not join the second remedial examination. One of them was asked to work by his parents and another one was too depressed to go on. One of Sarasvati‟s students who almost dropped out had actually had entered a vocational school. Even though she finally joined the second remedial examination, she failed. The vocational school told Sarasvati they could not let her student continue her study if she did not pass. After lobbying members of ministry of education, her student was given the chance to do another exam which she could pass at last. According to Sarasvati, the students 30 finally dropped out of school because the National Examination demotivated the students by judging them with results showing if they pass or fail. The students also dropped out because the National Examination procedure, especially for those who failed the examination, was not clear. Another reason was because the input and process in her school was far from proper. 5 Pressure on Students and Teachers High stake test can also give pressure on students Gregory Clarke, 2003 as paraphrased in teKUN eF, 2012. The National Examination itself had reportedly causes depression and pressure on students The Jakarta Post, 2014, December 30; Rachman, 2015, April 13; Jakarta Globe, n.d.. Students were also reported falling ill because they were too depressed in preparing for the examination Jakarta Globe. Sarasvati 2012 showed how the National Examination made her students demotivated. Some of her students had to take two remedial examinations after failing the National Examination. Two of her students decided to drop out of school instead of joining the second remedial test. One of them decided not to join the second remedial test because she was depressed and pessimistic When studying for the second remedial test, the students joining the examination were also exhausted thus had very low motivation. Other than making students demotivated, Sarasvati 2012 also stated that the National Examination put students, especially those who did not pass the examination, in uncertain position. Those who failed the National Examination were not told what was supposed to be done when they did not pass the examination: Should they have repeated their study in certain education level? 31 Should they have redone the examination in certain subjects, in all subjects? Should they have just stayed home and wait for the next examination or join kejar paket program non-formal education? Sarasvati. The National Examination also made it difficult for those who did not pass to continue their education Sarasvati, 2012. As stated previously, the unclear procedure which the students should have followed when failing made only those having money, power, and network could get through the remedial examinations easily. It made those with no money, power, and network dropped out easily when faced with the fact that they failed the examination. If students could pass, they would not get the certificate. If they did not get the certificate, they could not continue their study. The government was negligent to the students who were or might have been depressed for the National Examination. “It is better to make a couple of students stressful than a million of students stupid,” Kalla once said Dharma, 2012, 86. Not only to students, the National Examination was also reportedly brought pressure to teachers. In her writing Sarasvati told how stressful the teachers were in helping students be prepared for the remedial examination 2012. Indeed, research reports had shown that high stake test including the National Examination could give teachers pressure Abrams, Pedulla, Madaus, 2003, as paraphrased in teKUN eF, 2012. 6 Cheating Cheating practices had gone on for years during the National Examination. “In 2011, the FSGI received 102 reports of cheating, which increased to 317 in 2012 and soared to 1,035 in 2013. Then in 2014, reports plunged to 304,” The Jakarta 32 Post, 2015, April 15. Some students were reportedly bought answer keys and smuggled them to the examination rooms Jakarta Globe, n.d.; Rachman, 2015, April 13 . Some were also reportedly cheated by using mobile phones Jakarta Globe. Not only students, teachers and the government were also involved in cheating practices. Some teachers were accused of giving away answers Rachman, 2015, April 13. Many schools in a rayon formed a National Examination Success Team, one of which tasks was to make sure that cross supervisions were not carried out Dharma, 2012. When the case was reported to Ministry of Education, the institution only called the headmasters Dharma. The inspector teacher was replaced. There was no investigation or sanction Dharma. Dharma stated that the cheating practices had happened repeatedly and systematically in school, city to province level. However, there had never been any actions taken to stop or prevent the practices. According to Dharma, the cheating practices were mainly engendered by the different input teacher, facility, infrastructure, brain ware, software, hardware given to each area in Indonesia 2012. Because the input was not equal, the quality was also not equal. Areas with low input and quality level chose to carry out cheating practice because if they do not, there was no way they would make even just more than 50 of the students pass the examination. In Balikpapan, a capital city in Kalimantan, more than 60 of students failed in the National Examination tryout. Many schools had 100 of the students failed the tryout. One vocational school which was prepared to have international standard could even only had 50 of the students successful in the tryout. The local governments did 33 not want to take the huge risk they should bear by letting so many students failed the examination. Cheating was the only way to boost high level of graduation percentage. Sarasvati story about her experience in helping her students graduating also support Dharma‟s analysis 2012. From Sarasvati story we can see why she finally let her student cheating in the third remedial examination. After one national examination and two remedial examinations Sarasvati finally realized there was no way her students, who went to very poor school in a remote area, would pass the examination without cheating. 7 On Mapping Education Quality The Law of the Ministry of Education Number 34 Year 2007 mentioned one of the National Examination functions as the tool to map the quality of students and schools andor educational program. Sarasvati stated that, indeed, the map of education quality “could be very useful as an input to design a better educational system” and to improve education quality 2012, 231. However, Sarasvati thought the National Examination alone was not enough to run this function because the National Examination only showed quantitative data of education quality map. “Further qualitative research to find out why there are low quality sc hools is needed” Sarasvati, 231. Dharma was pessimistic of the use of National Examination validity to map education quality. It is because cheating practices had always happened during National Examinations Dharma. PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI 34

c. Recommendation for a Better Assessment System

The following description is ideas proposed by teachers and critics regarding a better assessment system. The ideas include the importance of evaluating the National Examination, the importance of evaluating the government, what a better assessment system is, and alternative option on how to determine students‟ graduation. 1 The Importance of Evaluating the National Examination Previous elaboration on criticism towards the National Examination shows how weak government assumptions were regarding the National Examination. It also shows that the National Examination had more negative impacts compared to the positive. It was thus important to evaluate the National Examination fairly. Those who supported and refused the National Examination needed to talk, test each of their assumptions regarding the National Examination, and find strategic solutions for better education for all Indonesian children. What were found needs to be shared to public teKUN eF, 2012. 2 The Importance of Evaluating the Government Brown 1990, 5 as quoted in Sarasvati 2012, 227 stated that “assessment, as part of education, must be about promoting learning and opportunities, rather than about sorting people into social roles.” This quotation and Sarasvati‟s experience in helping her students face the National Examination brought Sarasvati to a conclusion that it is important for the government to conduct “better educational pro grams for the whole nation” 257. Having similar opinion, instead of 35 measuring students‟ achievements, Dharma stated that the National Examination should first of all be used to measure the government performance 2012. According to her, the students were not the parties who should be responsible for the government performance. Thus it was not fair if the National Examination was used to evaluate students‟ performance. Similarly, teKUN eF 2012 also argued that it is important to gain information on students‟ achievements and teachers‟ competence, and school condition. In order to be able to promote better education for the whole nation, Sarasvati 2012 and teKUN eF 2012 thought it is important for the government to map the schools‟ needs. This was the first step the government should take before improving schools, then education quality Sarasvati. Other than finding out the sc hools‟ need, it was also important for the government to map education quality. Research reports and public debates were needed to help the government Sarasvati. S. Hamid Hasan, as paraphrased by teKUN eF 2012 suggested an evaluation tool called EKPHB Evaluasi Kualitas Pembelajaran dan Hasil Belajar Evaluation on Learning and Learning Result Quality. The evaluation should be conducted in the middle of learning process in certain education level thus both students and schools would have time to improve their quality teKUN eF. The evaluation could be conducted by BSNP Assessment Center and Curriculum Center in the national level or Education Ministry and LPMP Lembaga Penjamin Mutu Pendidikan Education Quality Assurance Council in the local level teKUN eF. It was then important for the government to design strategic and precise policies in the field of education. Those included focuses to education national 36 standard achievement content standard, process, graduate competence, educators and education personnel, facility, infrastructure, management, and budgeting and assessment standard which include assessment conducted by teachers and schools teKUN eF, 2012. 3 A Better Assessment System Rather than conducting the National Examination, Sarasvati thought it was better for the schools to conduct assessment 2012. The assessment meant was embedded in the learning process. Students could pass if they participated actively in the learning process and made progress. Not determining whether the students failed or successful, the assessment was designed to help students improve their learning. It was designed to help teacher figure out students‟ difficulties in learning and find solution to overcome the difficulties. Since the assessment was the part of the learning process, it “should be done through the schooling year, not at the end of the schoo ling year” Sarasvati, 2012, 226. “Rather than labeling a student to fail or pass from school, it is better to provide a transcript of students‟ achievements in various subjects” Sarasvati, 255. The report on students‟ achievement would be useful in helping them understand themselves in further education stage Sarasvati. In order to make the assessment system work well, Sarasvati suggested the government to conduct teacher training. 4 How to Determine Students’ Graduations In order to help the government determine students‟ graduation, the critics proposed a couple of recommendations. The first one was, instead of just using 37 the results of the National Examination, the critics argued it was better if the government also combined it with students‟ grades during their study in certain education level teKUN eF, 2012. This system was implemented in EBTANAS era before. Indeed, there were questions reg arding teacher‟s consistency in the grading process. However, there were also advantages the government might have if they also rely on assessment by teachers teKUN eF. The first one was teachers have more time to assess and improve students‟ learning in the same time during teaching-learning process. The second one was assessment from teachers gave direct impact to students‟ learning process because teachers could give feedback to students soon during the teaching-learning process. The critics also argued it was better if the government use cumulative performance index, instead of numbers, in grading students and thus determining their graduation teKUN eF, 2012. The minimum point of cumulative performance index to determine students‟ graduation was determined by each school. Cumulative performance index was scientifically proven to predict academic achievement in university better than other standardized tests in USA teKUN eF.

d. The 2015 National Examination in Indonesia

The National Examination Standard Operating Procedure Year 20142015 Prosedur Operasional Standar Penyelenggaraan Ujian Nasional Tahun Pelajaran 20142015 defines the senior high school national examination as an activity of measuring and assessing graduate competence standard achievements of Senior High School Sekolah Menengah AtasSMA students on certain subjects PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI 38 Badan Standar Nasional Pendidikan [BSNP], 2015, 2. English Bahasa Inggris is one of the subjects tested in the examination BSNP. The 2015 Senior High School National Examination was held on April 13, 2015 until April 15, 2015 BSNP, 2015, 23. The English National Examination was held on April 15, 2015 from 07.30 to 09.30 BSNP, 2015. The rest of more detailed elaboration regarding the 2015 National Examination in Indonesia can be seen in Appendix 3. Since content of theoretical review is better taken from sites which was not addressed in .com and most of the content of this subtitle explanation was taken from sites addressed in .com., the elaboration was put in Appendix 3. The content from those sites is however still considered since the theoretical review of this research will then interpreted in pre- assumption. van Manen 1990 considers “common sense” and “everyday knowledge”, as well as “scientific knowledge”, as source which can affect the researcher‟s way of analyzing the text data and thus need to be explicated in pre- assumption 46-47. The researcher considered the content in Appendix 3 as the content which can affect the researcher and those who are involved in the National Examination in defining the examination. The information in Appendix 3 include more detailed information regarding administrative aspect of the 2015 National Examination, the fact that the examination was no longer used to determine graduation, the implementation of computer-based examination in certain schools, and cheating and leaks which happened during the 2015 National Examination.