Thousands vie for places at country's state universities

The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Thu, 07/05/2007 10:49 AM

Apriadi Gunawan and Slamet Susanto, The Jakarta Post, Medan/Yogyakarta

He may be vision impaired but Februari Laoli was as excited as other students taking part in a selection test for new university students at North Sumatra University on Wednesday.

The 21-year-old native of Lelevetumoi village in Nias regency said everyone should have the same opportunity to attend university.

Februari said he had been planning to take the exam long before he graduated from senior high school this year and had prepared himself well for the Wednesday test.

""I've been working on tests from previous years with the help of an assistant,"" Februari told The Jakarta Post after the first day of tests.

Three subjects -- Bahasa Indonesia, English and math -- were tested on the first day, while the second day on Thursday would include the social sciences.

Februari said generally the first day was hard, especially the math, but that he managed to get through all the tests, albeit finishing some slower than others.

""I needed five minutes to answer one question because I had to clearly understand the question read out by the assistant.""

Februari said he hoped to study ethno-musicology (study of the ethnic roots of music) at the university's School of Literature -- he has played piano since he was in sixth grade.

""I've been blind since I was four after suffering from measles,"" he said.

""The doctor said I could recover if I was treated quickly but my parents had no money and our village had no doctor, so here I am.""

The North Sumatra University (USU)'s selection test committee head, Siswo Suroso, said six students with a disability took this year's test at the university.

He said they had the same chance as other students to enter the university and that no special treatment, other than obvious requirements, was given to them.

""There are 24,217 students taking the test at the university this year, but not all of them want to attend USU,"" Siswo said.

""There are those wanting to enter other state universities and we will only accept 2,672 students through the selection test.""

In Yogyakarta, 14,845 students, including students with a disability, took the test.

Head of the test's organizing committee in Yogyakarta province, Mochammad Slamet, said Wednesday the first day's testing went smoothly and fears that students would cheat had so far proven groundless.

He said ahead of the test, committee members had conducted raids and confiscated all communication devices including cell phones.

He said from 15,227 forms provided for students to take the test, 14,845 had been returned -- which was higher than last year's figure of 13,215 participants.

Test participants in Yogyakarta took the test in 58 designated locations.

Rector of Yogyakarta State University, Sugeng Mardiyono, said the test was the best way to select new university students from the widespread independent selection tests conducted by several state universities.

""One thing for sure, the costs are cheaper and affordable for all people,"" he said.

In Palembang, South Sumatra, 10,299 were due to sit the test at Sriwijaya University on Wednesday.

All participants would compete to attend 1,900 study programs in state universities across the country and 47 study programs at Sriwijaya University.

Results of the test should be available online at www.spmb.org on August 2 and results would be officially announced in the mass media the next day.

-- Khairul Saleh contributed to the story from Palembang, South Sumatra.

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