Minimum Competency Assessment to Replace National Exam?

KOMPAS/HENDRA A SETYAWAN

A number of students took the Computer-Based National Examination (UNBK) at SMA 66 Jakarta, Monday (1/4/2019). High school UNBK in DKI Jakarta was attended by 56,226 students in 481 schools, both public and private, including 53 students with special needs.

The Education and Culture Minister has announced that, in 2021, the national exam will be replaced by a national assessment system comprising assessments on minimum competency, character and learning environment.

Of the three components, only the minimum competency assessment (AKM) is a type of evaluation. Is it true that the AKM will replace the national exam (ujian nasional/UN)? As it is a nationally administered assessment, the AKM can be considered a substitute for the national exam. However, when compared to the national exam, it is much more different than it is similar.

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First, they clearly differ in terms of the competencies that are evaluated: The national exam assesses several academic subjects while the AKM does not. Second, their aims are also different: The national exam evaluates students, while the AKM evaluates educational levels through student assessments. Third, they differ in terms of their target coverage: The national exam covers all students, while the AKM covers only a sample of students from all educational levels.

The national exam assesses students’ knowledge (a summative assessment that measures learning achievements), while the AKM assesses student learning (a formative assessment that evaluates the students’ learning process and the educators’ teaching strategies).

Fourth, they also differ in the students who participate in the assessments: The national exam is held for all students in grades nine through 12, while the AKM assesses a sample of students at the end of grades five, eight and 11. Fifth, their purposes are different: The national exam assesses students’ knowledge (a summative assessment that measures learning achievements), while the AKM assesses student learning (a formative assessment that evaluates the students’ learning process and the educators’ teaching strategies).

Sixth, in terms of regulation, the national exam has a clear legal basis in Article 63, Paragraph 1 and Article 66, Paragraph 1 of Government Regulation No. 19/2005 on the National Education Standards, which basically require the government to evaluate students’ knowledge through a national exam that measures their competency and achievements. The AKM’s legal basis is unclear.

Seventh, in terms of organization as required under the law (Law on National Educational System, Article 58, Paragraph 2), the national exam is organized by the National Educational Standards Agency (BSNP) as an independent body, while this aspect has not been clearly defined for the AKM.

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So, can the AKM be considered a substitute for the national exam? It is best to answer: No! If it is not, is there any assessment that can substitute the national exam in measuring learning achievements? Is there any assessment that can substitute the national exam as a means of gauging students’ learning achievements in the subjects that have been covered so far in the national exam?

It seems that the teachers of the relevant educational levels have been left to measure their students’ learning achievements in those subjects covered by the national exam, as is the case.

Kompas

SMAK Dempo students give flowers to thank their teachers on the last day of teaching and learning activities at SMAK Dempo, Malang,on Wednesday (7/3/2018).

with the other subjects that are excluded from the national exam. Without the national exam, it will not be possible to map the quality of national education in the subjects covered by the national exam. Yet, the AKM can still map the quality of national education, so the AKM can fulfill its purpose of providing formative assessment to improve educational quality at every educational level.

Sadly, the AKM can only meet its purpose of providing formative assessment on only those students that take the AKM. What should be anticipated is the AKM’s fairness and equity for all students, including those who are selected as part of the assessment sample and those who are not.

If the AKM cannot be considered as a substitute for the national exam, is it a setback? Not necessarily so!

Revising the National Education Goal

The term “minimum” in the AKM has the potential to draw undue attention. The word “minimum” could be misunderstood to mean “at least” or “not much”. In fact, considering that it assesses literacy (and numeracy), it is not about little or nothing.

This article focuses on literacy, a concept that has undergone remarkable developments beyond just reading and writing, as many people still understand it to mean.

This mistaken impression can be straightened out if the literacy that the AKM assesses is defined as “the competency to understand, make use, analyze, and reflect on various kinds of text for individual problem-solving and capacity-building as citizens of Indonesia and the world, to contribute productively to society” (Research, Development and Publications Agency, Education and Culture Ministry, 2020). Literacy is not a “minimal competency” according to the definition of UNESCO (2017): “Literacy is the ability to identify, understand, interpret, create, communicate and compute, using printed and written (and visual) materials associated with varying contexts.

“Literacy involves a continuum of learning in enabling individuals to achieve their goals, to develop their knowledge and potential, and to participate fully in their community and wider society.”

Therefore, the term “minimum” should be replaced by “mendasar” (fundamental), to keep the same Indonesian abbreviation, AKM, which suits the ongoing developments in the definition of literacy. In UNESCO’s definition of literacy, “varying contexts” can refer to the substance of the variety of texts used, so the AKM dovers all learning materials used in all school subjects as “contexts”.

Since competency in language or communication is the basic asset of literacy, the expanded definition of literacy suggests that language competency has been positioned as an absolute and necessary foundation for developing all other areas of competency. If this way of thinking is acceptable, the AKM can also be considered a tool for measuring student achievements with regard to the National Education Goal.

The National Education Goal (Law No. 20/2003) has so far referred to the BSNP to develop the Graduate Competency Standards and the Substance Standards, which are to later serve as the Education and Culture Ministry’s references in developing the national curriculum and national exam. If literacy is seen as a basic skill to achieve the National Education Goal of “developing the potential of students to become individuals who believe in and demonstrate piety to the One

Kompas/Angger Putranto

Prof  Ali Saukah

God, possess virtuous character, health, learning, capabilities, creativity, independence, and the capacity to become democratic and responsible citizens”, literacy should be distinctly positioned in the AKM’s objectives as part of or as the fundamental asset for attaining the National Education Goal. If so, then the National Education Goal needs to be revised!

Ali Saukah, Professor, State University of Malang; member, National Education Standardization Agency (BSNP), 2019-2023