CHAPTER I

PRELIMINARY

A. Background
Education is one of the important things in development of a nation. According to UU
No. 20 Th 2004, education is one of the effort and plan to develop all students’ potential
through the learning process. Education’s purpose is to develop students’ potential to make
them clever, make them control their selves better, diligent, and have skill to be a good
citizens. To reach the goal of education, curriculum was made and to see how effective the
education is, evaluation or national test was made.
So, evaluation is one of the important components that can’t be separated with education
and curriculum. But you need to understand that not all kind of evaluations can be used to
measure how success the education is.
National Examination or Ujian Nasional (UN) is one of the evaluations we mentioned
above. The government is the one who made this kind of evaluation. Is UN is the right
indicator to measure how success is education is?
One of the teacher task and responsibility in school is to teach students, and also they
have responsibility to give the score for students’ learning achievements. Score is from
formative test and summative test, the result of both tests will be calculated to see whether
the student pass the subject or not. In JHS and SHS there are a lot of subjects that student
learn, while UN only have 3-6 subjects.
Then why the student should spent the cost, energy and time to learn the other subjects?
This means that the UN is not effective as the standard graduation. There are things that
must be addressed by the government before implementing the UN among others equating
educational facilities in the city and in the country and the need for quality distribution of
teachers throughout the school. The next graduation assessment standards should include
aspects pedagogies (cognitive, psychomotor and affective) thoroughly.
Of course we appreciate government’s effort to increase the education quality in this
country, but our group is not totally agree about UN is the indicator of students’ graduation.
Why? We will show you the reason in Chapter 2.

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B. Problem Formulation
On paper that is made, there are formulation of the problem to be resolved through
discussion later. We will discuss about Indonesia’s Education System, National
Examination, and how effective the National Examination is as the graduation student.

C. Writing Purpose
Our group want to make the reader and of course the Indonesian understand about their
Education System. We also want to share the information about National Examination and
we want to tell you our opinion about National Examination.

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 CHAPTER II
DISCUSSION

A. Stating Issue
The National Examination (UN) is the government's policy in education to determine
the standard of quality of education. The policy is a political decision or political education,
which concerns the interests of various parties, even within certain limits can be politicized
for the sake of power (Mulyasa, 2004: 180). As educators we agreed the purpose of the test
is to determine the extent of the effectiveness of the efforts undertaken in the educational
process, whether it has satisfied or not.
The government has set the minimum value of the graduation standards that must be
achieved by students in graduation. The government's aim is both to boost the quality of
education, with a minimum graduation of 4.01 sets the standard for world-standard was 6.0,
so it's okay that the government set it. Through UN government has an interest to determine
the ability of graduates from various levels in a particular field of study, as an indicator of
the success of the education system. We also want to know the children's ability ank in
behitung, language, science, and so on, not least of which can be captured through the UN,
and in assisting the dingkannya regions, districts or cities and even between schools. the
government's interest to know the results of nationwide education is not personal interests of
the institution, and the messages on the National Education System 20 Th 2003. even the
intent of the act is not just the UN, but concerns the performance assessment of all
components in the education system.
UN has function as a "quality control" of the education system, for control of the
proceedings, and in-put of education is getting smaller, even when centralization was
actually control center in the field of education can’t be done fully, because of the fragility
of mental tissue bureaucracy due to various factors beyond educational problems. The
function of national education standards is creating strategies and development plans after
the data obtained from the national evaluation of learning such as the National Examination
(UN).

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 Standards are the benchmark. At times the level of achievement of these standards
need to be known, to which its effectiveness. To the knowledge of the necessary facilities
such as a national examination or evaluation. The national examination or a national
evaluation would not need to cover the entire content standards, of course it is asked for
costs and tremendous power. Because of its merely to provide an overview map of the
educational issues nationally, the chosen some subjects are essential. Subjects were like
Indonesian, Mathematics, Natural Sciences, English, National History, National Geography
(H.A.A. Tilaar, 2006: 110). Sk 017 / U / 2003 mentions Interest UN is to measure student
achievement; measuring the quality of education at the national, provincial, district or city,
and school / madrasah; and account for the delivery of education in national, provincial,
district or city, and school / madrasah, to the public.

B. Controversy
Controversy over the UN actually has occurred when the policy started rolling in
2002/2003. UN initially called the National Final Examination (UAN) be a substitute
for policy Study Evaluation of the National Final Stage (EBTANAS). Only, while
EBTANAS apply at all school levels, the UN is only the junior secondary school (JSS),
madrasah tsanawiyah (MTs), a public high school (SMU), Madrasah Aliyah (MA), and
vocational schools (SMK). For elementary school (SD), outstanding primary school
(SDLB), outstanding at the primary school (SLB), and madrasah (MI), Ebtanas replaced
with final school examinations. The debate appeared not only because the UN policy
initiated by the Ministry of National Education minimal socialization and closed, but
rather on the fundamental juridical and pedagogical. From the results of the study
Education Coalition, at least four of irregularities with the implementation of the UN.
First, the pedagogical aspect. In science education, the ability of learners includes
three aspects, namely knowledge (cognitive), skills (psychomotor), and attitude
(affective). But judged within the UN is only one aspect of ability, namely cognitive,
whereas the two other aspects are not tested as a determinant of graduation.
Second, the judicial aspect. Several articles in the National Education System
Law No. 20 of 2003 has been violated, such as Article 35 paragraph 1 which states that
national standards consist of content standards, processes, competence of graduates,

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staff, facilities and infrastructure, management, financing, and evaluation of education,
which should be improved in a planned and periodic. UN only measure the ability of
knowledge and determination of educational standards determined unilaterally by the
government.
Article 58 paragraph 1 states, evaluation of learning outcomes of students
conducted by educators to monitor the process, progress, and improvement of learning
outcomes learners are berkesi-sustainabil-. In fact, in addition to depriving the teachers'
assessment, the UN ignores element being a process of assessment.
In addition, article 59 paragraph 1 states, governments and local authorities to
evaluate the administrator, school track, level and type of education. But the UN the
government only to evaluate the learning outcomes of students who actually is the duty
of educators.
Third, social and psychological aspects. In convening the UN mechanism, the
government has set a standard passing score of 3.01 in 2002/2003 to 4.01 in 2003/2004
and 4.25 in 2004/2005. This raises psychological anxiety for students and parents.
Students were forced to memorize the lessons will be in the national examination at
school or at home.
Fourth, the economic aspect. Economically, the implementation of the UN
wasteful costs. Last year, funds disbursed from the state budget reached Rp 260 billion,
yet with additional funding from the budget and the public. In 2005 it is mentioned UN
funding comes from the government, but it is not clear the source, so it allows people to
return will be charged. In addition, the system has not been made clear to avert financial
irregularities UN funds. The management system for this is still very closed and unclear
accountability. These conditions allow the occurrence of irregularities (corruption) UN
fund.
In addition, the implementation of UAN 2003/2004 school year, the Coalition of
Education found a number of irregularities, from the technical to the financial. First, the
technical implementation. Supplies not provided adequately test. For example, in the
subjects of English, one of the abilities tested are listening. In order to answer the
questions well, examinees requires no tools to hear (tape and earphones). In practice, the
exam organizers did not have good preparation supporting equipment.

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 Second, supervision. In the operation test, control becomes an important part of
the exam to ensure no fraud committed by participants. Supervisory function is left to
the teacher with a system of cross-supervisors do not come from the school in question,
but from other schools. But, in fact, happened cooperation teachers to teachers to
facilitate or allowing students cheat.
The case in some schools, teachers, especially for subjects that are made
nationally as math, English, or economics, with various modes provide key answers to
students. In addition, at the level of local education providers such as the education,
efforts to inflate (mark-up) exam results ensued. How to create a team to correct
students' answers.
Third, financing. In two UAN, the organizers charged to the central and local
governments through national and regional budgets. That is, the examinees are
exempted from the cost of follow UAN. But, at the school level, it is not clear how the
counting system and the distribution of funds exam (both APBN and APBD). Position
principals only receive an allocation that has been set by the organizers on it. As a
result, despite receiving funds to conduct the exam, the school considers the amount is
not sufficient, so that then charges it to the examinees. You do this by laying on tuition
fees or charge a farewell show.
Actually, in a meeting with the Education Coalition on 4 November 2004, the
Minister of Education has expressed disapproval at the UAN and will replace it with the
entrance exams to schools that are considered elite. Moreover, the support of Parliament
is also not there. As a form of disapproval, the Education Commission of the Parliament
does not allocate funds for UAN in 2005.
Unfortunately, suddenly rolling Education Minister Education Minister
Regulation No. 1 of 2005 as the basis for the Ministry of Education organizes UN.
Because substantially no significant differences between the UN and UAN school year
2004/2005 school year 2002/2003 and 2003/2004, the same debate going back.
Wastage costs
Various problems have been recorded in the implementation of national and
regional evaluation organized by the government shows that the government has not
managed to use his power wisely, balanced and appropriate responsibilities. Various

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 other issues (eg, non-fulfillment of the budget allocation of 20 per cent, yet the
enactment of free primary education, the collapse of school buildings in many places,
the quality of education continues to decline) is an example of government's failure to
fulfill its responsibilities. We see a gap between the responsibilities and powers of the
State in the national education system. Should, liability and public services by
government power and authority go hand in hand. However, when the government was
unable to provide free quality education for every citizen and the society took over the
role of government in managing the school independently, the power and authority
given.

Teachers are useless in UN

Judging from the empowerment of teachers, the UN is totally useless. Authorities
teachers to plan, organize, and provide an assessment to their students as an integral part
of its duties have been taken. As in times past teachers still do not trust a person who
can do it well. UN finally become a kind of center of attention in the learning process.
The whole learning process focused on the efforts to be successful in the UN, so that the
nature of the learning process becomes neglected. Because teachers tend to be less
creative. Teachers received only a matter emanating from the center. In other words, the
teacher just dwell on matters relating to the UN, do not think how to develop learning
interesting for students. Actually teachers who know their students abilities, so whether
the child was a decent pass or not, who knows a teacher. But teachers are helpless
because its functions were taken over by the government. Schools and teachers
mobilized almost all of its resources to teach how to pass the examination. As a result,
subjects that are not tested secondary. Actually, the UN does not determine the quality
of the school, even though society judging from the results of his examination. Because
the value of the UN is not representative of the quality of students. Quality of actual
student was graded by the teacher, from what he has learned during his study at school.
In order to graduate students there is any indication the UN in the field of
engineering. The formation of successful teams by teachers and principals.

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UN impacts to students
Judging from student empowerment, UN is totally useless. Because the UN is not
representative. For their graduation period is determined only four subjects only. If the
provisions lulusnya, why should a waste of time, money and energy to learn other
subjects. With the presence of the UN becomes a very frightening specter. In addition,
the parents of the students also became as confused, how his son could pass. Finally,
rather than later does not pass, the old man adds to invite a tutor or attend tutoring. For
many students and parents who are afraid, so before the UN took place, many students /
parents went to Pastor / Kiai and smart people to ask for the provision of prayer / mantra
to pass. Apparently a lot of students who do not pass. Why do they think like that, it
shows that they have lost confidence and select a shortcut. Actually, for the students the
UN is not representative because it proved a lot of students who pass the exam, can not
be applied in everyday life. UN can not be used as a graduation standards. Because of
the ability of students is not only seen from 3-4 subjects in the national examination and
assessed cognitive. Because the ability of students can be seen also from other subjects
and in terms of affective and psychomotor.
Graduation standards specified in the UN have indirectly turn off the student's
character. It must be remembered, the exam results not determine the quality of
education, but only measuring tool only.

The government has not equate facilities to support education

Implementation Exam nationally to see the quality of students at the macro level
is totally unfair. With the condition of Indonesian students are very diverse and width of
the gap (disparity) the quality of education between urban and rural schools in Papua
with Papua outside, it is definitely going in may result which is not the same.
The government should first equalize educational support facilities and
distribution of qualified teachers for every school. When all the necessary process goes
well, it will encourage the quality to be achieved.

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 CHAPTER III
CLOSING

A. Conclusion
National Examination is the best way to control the quality of our education
system, but National Examination is not the best way to determine student graduation
based on our argument in Chapter 2.

B. Suggestion
We hope that this paper can be useful for all readers and hopefully there is
criticism or constructive suggestions from readers regarding the preparation of this
paper.

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 BIBLIOGRAPHY

Abasiyah, Pro and Contra about National Examination ,

http://abasiyah.wordpress.com/tag/pro-and-contra-about-national-examination Diakses
tanggal 25 April 2016 Pukul 19.00 WITA.
Admin, National Exam In Pros and Cons, http://www.englishadmin.com/2012/12/national-
exam-in-pros-and-cons.html Diakses tanggal 25 April 2016 Pukul 19.31 WITA.
Anonim, Contoh Teks Diskusi, http://www.belajarbahasainggris.us/2012/01/contoh-teks-
discussion-national-exam.html Diakses tanggal 26 April 2016 Pukul 12.10 WITA.
Wikipedia, National Examination, https://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/national-examination
Diakses tanggal 26 April 2016 Pukul 16.20 WITA.

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