TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Education and Culture Minister Nadiem Makarim is mulling to remove the national examination program. As reported in Tempo Newspaper edition of Wednesday, November 27, the ministry was still finalizing the plan.

The report suggested that an official from Directorate General of Primary and Secondary Education and the minister’s special staffer took part in discussing the issue with the National Education Standards Agency (BSNP) on Tuesday.

BSNP chairman Abdul Mu’ti confirmed the meeting that reviewed policies and regulations in a bid to improve the education quality. “We explore various systems, including national examination,” Abdul told Tempo.

However, he claimed the two-hour meeting did not specifically discuss issues on the national exam, but rather on the regulations. Albeit there has been no official decision, Abdul ensured his agency will back the ministry’s plan.

"BSNP will follow any decision taken by Minister of Education and Culture," said Abdul.

The plan on the removal of the national examination was first voiced by Minister Nadiem two weeks after his inauguration. He stated he would look to the program implementation and the zone-based enrollment system.

A Tempo source at the Ministry of Education and Culture said the ministry was making an assessment in place of a national exam and a national-based school exam on the grounds of the poor learning quality in schools.

He said that Nadiem Makarim planned to announce the changes during the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) next week. PISA, which was initiated by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, is an evaluation of the education system in 72 countries, including Indonesia.

YUDONO YANUAR