The Education and Culture Ministry is set to standardize examinations at elementary schools across the country this year, following a similar policy implemented at junior high schools (SMP), senior high schools (SMA) and vocational schools (SMK) in 2017.

The standardized national school examination (USBN) is one of two key criteria – the other being the national examination (UN) – for students to graduate.

Education and Culture Minister Muhadjir Effendy said the USBN was expected to gradually replace regular school exams at schools of all levels.

While the content of school exams was previously designed by the Education and Culture Ministry and provincial education agencies, the USBN requires the participation of teachers in determining the content of exams.

They can help shape the examination materials via the Teacher Working Group (KKG) in districts of provinces across the country.

“The goal is to end the current habit of teachers, who tend to depend on the Education and Culture Ministry and education agencies in devising materials for their students. They need to develop such competency to improve themselves,” said Muhadjir on Wednesday.

The ministry’s director general of elementary and secondary education, Hamid Muhammad, said the ministry would contribute 25 percent of total questions asked in school exams.

Teachers will be given a guideline to design the rest of the exam contents, which comprises multiple choice questions and four or five essay assignments.

“The USBN in elementary schools will be conducted in three subjects: mathematics, science and Indonesian. In secondary education, the USBN will cover all subjects,” said Hamid. (vla/ebf)