TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Education and Culture Minister Nadiem Makarim has announced four educational policy programs dubbed "Merdeka Belajar" or freedom of learning. One of them is the termination of the national examination (UN) starting in 2021.

"The implementation of national exam in 2021 will be changed to the Assessment of Minimum Competency and Survey of Character, which consists of the ability of language (literacy), the ability of math (numeracy), and the strengthening of character education," said Nadiem as quoted from the ministry’s website, Wednesday, December 11.

This examination will be valid for students in the middle of the school level, viz. grades 4, 8 and 11. The government hoped this replacement of the national exams would encourage teachers and schools to improve the quality of education. The results of this exam will not be used as a basis of student selection to the next level.

"This policy also refers to good educational practices at the international level such as PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment) and TIMSS (Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study)," he added.

Additionally, the government issued a new policy on the standardized national school examination (USBN), which starting next year, it will be implemented only by schools.

Nadiem Makarim further pinned hoped regional and central governments could work hand-in-hand to realize the equality of access and quality of education in Indonesia. "Equitable access and quality of education must be in line with other initiatives by the regional administration, such as redistribution of teachers to schools having fewer educators," he said.

AHMAD FAIZ IBNU SANI