T

he Jakarta Education Agency says schools must allow every student to take the National Examinations despite their medical or legal problems.

Agency head Taufik Yudi Mulyanto said that the policy was intended to stop schools from banning students from taking the annual test for reasons such as underage pregnancy, marriage or incarceration.

“We have to serve them [students] as best as possible. Do not limit or prevent them from taking part in exams, unless the students themselves refuse to do so,” Taufik said on Wednesday as quoted by kompas.com.

“For example, [a school] must not forbid a rape victim — hopefully this will not happen — from taking part in the National Examinations. It will hurt her twice.”

Taufik said that sick students could take the exams at hospitals and incarcerated students could take the tests in prison.

In a latest such ban levied on a student, SMA 7 Tangerang senior high school forbade recently married Muhammad Sudirman, 17, from taking the National Examinations scheduled for April 15 to 18.

Taufik said that school officials claimed that the boy’s marriage “violated” school policies.