Writing Task : Argumentative

Another task from my teacher. Here we go:

National Exam, Do We Need It?

In Indonesia, every third grade students of junior high school and senior high school must take the national exam held by National Education Ministry. The result of this exam determines whether the participants may graduate or not. At first, this method seems to be the best way to decide who may take a higher education. However, as time passed, the validity of such an exam is seriously called into question recently.

This national exam, which is held annually, is made to test students’ knowledge about what they have learnt for the last three years. The Education Minister wished that with the implementation of the national exam, results of studying for 3 years could be known; furthermore, raising Indonesia education standard by increasing the exam’s passing grades. It is true that these exams have increased Indonesia education somehow, but it also has worsened the students’ morale.

Students’ opinions about the exam are, unfortunately, different from those of the ministry. They think the national exam as a burden for them. Mastering three-year materials may not be a problem for some gifted students, but most students feel it is difficult. To compound to it, since 2008, there are six subjects tested in a national exam, which make seems more difficult to pass the exam, if not impossible.

Being afraid that they cannot pass the exam; thus cannot graduate from school, students start to use any possible ways so that they could pass the exam. Some may study harder in order to pass the exam while many others prefer an easier way. Cheat. It is undeniable that there are many students who try to cheat during the exam. Take my classmates, for example. Only a few chose to take the hard way while the rest prefer the shortcut. These behaviors make the national exams meaningless.

Finally, teachers who are appointed as the invigilator in the exams take the action of the students to their benefits. They, indirectly, are asking money or any other facilities from the students in exchange for the freedom to ask or see friends’ answers. I experienced it myself. When I took the exam last year, one of the invigilators asked why there is no coffee and magazine provided. Not only teachers, but some of the Ministry’s staffs also take these advantages. Exams questions which are supposed to be kept confidential are leaked out one or two days before the exams. They sell the questions along with the answers to whoever willing to buy.

Overall, the implementation of the national exams is really ironic. Money spent to hold the exams is not little, but cheating occurs during the exam, making it meaningless. The initial purpose of the national exam, which is to decide whether a particular student may graduate, becomes not justified. It would be better if the national exams are used merely to check students’ knowledge and let the teachers who have taught the students decide whether it is acceptable to graduate them; thus, letting them face the real world.

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