Assignment

A RECENT FORMULA/ POLICY IN DETERMINING GRADUATION

Submitted By: Name: Canra Situmeang Reg. No: 8106111046 LTBI/A Lecturer: Prof. Tina Mariany Arifin, M. A., Ph.D

English Applied Linguistics Study Program Postgraduate School State University of Medan 2011

This paper is trying to expose the controversion policy about the graduation both in primary and secondary school which bring out a new formula as the solution to this problem.

CONTROVERCY POLICY

Based on an Education Minister Decree No. 114/U/2001, National Examination has been administered within the education system of our country since 6 years ago. However, there were many problems that occurred for years, as if nothing can obscure it. These conditions, of course, have become a concern all of us, whether education ministries or noneducation ministries; whether the problem is caused by the agents who involved in or the system itself. In short, national examination has raised pro and contra in the society. From the pro point of view, National Examination has its own purpose which arranged for a good reason. National Examination is used as a standard quality of our education. If many students passed the national examination successfully, it means that our education has reached its standard, or vice versa. Besides, National Examination is also used to measure how far students achievement in school and how successful the curriculum is, and also to diagnose the quality of the education in primary and high schools. In short, we can say that National Examination is a legal measuring instrument specified by National Education Ministry as the determinant of students passing in secondary schools, and it is a rightful national standard and has the same right for every student who has this certificate of National Examination.

Still, there are positive respond from students and teachers about National Examination. National Examination has encouraged and motivated them to study hard more and more, and to increase theirselves-independence because this examination has a national standard for all over the country, and it seems to be glorious. If they can hopefully pass this examination, it will have the students satisfied and their parents will proud of them. As same as the students, the teachers will try to do their best by sacrificing their time and energy for the success of their students. But it seems make the students character be worse because they cultivate cheating. Considering that cheating, as a moral concern, has become a habit in every national examination, giving teachers or schools such freedom is still risky. They might again go into other wrong directions. Without sufficient control, schools may let the students pass the exam because they pay for it.

In contrast, if we refer to our curriculum that lawfully used in our education system, KTSP (School-Based Curriculum), it seems irrelevant. Based on School-Based Curriculum, teacher measures three aspects of learning: cognitive, affective, and psychomotor. So the students achievement is identified and measured by the teacher because only the teacher who know much more about students daily abilities and attitudes in school, not the National Examination. So, it is not fair if the scoring only determine by the National Examination. The most common complaint about National Examination is that the success in primary and secondary school is identified only by three days National Examination. So, what means by studying three years? Some teachers also said that National Examination may knock down theirselves-regard, they have done all things within three years, but the peak or the evaluation only determined by three days examination. From the explanation above, we know that no one thing good for all. In this context, it means that National Examination policy faces pro and contra. It is the consequence of this policy. On the other hand, when a problem appears, the solution should be found by all of education components, especially National Education Department (Depdiknas) or the supervisor of Indonesia Education System. Finally, apart from pro and contra, the presence of National Examination is expected would increase the quality of Indonesia Educational System. Becaused of the policy controversion above, the govenrment make a new formula in determining graduation for primary and secondary school. A recent Formula to determine the final score Examination for graduation in primary and secondary School started from academic year 2010/2011 are, the courses score of National Examination (UN) 60 %; The school score (students prestige at school) 40%. It is not fully 100 % from the National Examination like last six years. It is response positively by some outsider eventhough there are still pro and contra with this policy. The government must put the policy into effect because it is vey useful. Moreover, there is a reward given to a prestige student since in the first class so make National Examination (UN) is eventually not a student killer anymore or vise versa. The writers has another idea about this policy. It will be fair if the formula are 50:50. But this is better than some years before means that the school score are also considered in determining graduation for both primary and secondary school. The minimal evarage score for graduation will be 5,5 later on. So, all of the interrelated outsider should support the

policy and implementate it well. Moreover, realization of National Examination (UN) should be done honestly without fraud/ deceit. School siders should have not deify the UN, so do defeit an education purpose which more substantive means learning materials which are given to the students should be balance. Optimistism in scoring the prestige and capability of the students should be honest. The schools have full duty in doing this. It does not mean that schools always give their students high score after the government give the authority 40 % to the schools in scoring but should be more dicipline and proporsional in giving score toward the students. The quality of the education can be reached if the process of education and evaluation run well. If the quality of education still worse, all the education stakeholders should realized it as deficiency. The writer thinks that the students character will be better by this policy. To leave out cheathing cultivation and payment in getting good score so that passed the

examination and can graduate. We should admit that the students should have chance to relax or play to make them enjoy studying. But, it should be evaluate eventhough the policy are implementate to know whether the presentage of the graduation decrease or increase. To be more comprehensive, schools which have a role to determine the students graduation should score the students not only from cognitive aspect or National Examination score but also afective dan psicomotor trhough the students behaviour and their character. That is why the better proportion used is 50:50, to distribute to all students so it is hoped all school siders should be honest in scoring the students. The teachers should not lack their duty help the students to pass the examination by used wrong ways and the students also should be struggle to get a good score, students should not regard some courses lightly.