Students likely to enjoy free university entry exams

Jakarta, NU Online
If all goes according to plan, high school graduates will not be charged to apply to state universities starting next year, Education and Culture Minister Mohammad Nuh said on Tuesday.<>

The new regulation is part of a bill on state universities being drafted at the House of Representatives and is expected to be deliberated soon. But other unsettled provisions aside, House members have already given the green light to the application proposal.

Nuh said the ministry’s plan was to eliminate the financial burden for all high school, vocational or Islamic school graduates applying to state universities.

“In the past, all of them were charged. But starting next year, the government will pay those expenses,” Nuh said as quoted by the Jakarta Globe.

“All students must be encouraged to apply for higher education at state universities.”

The ministry has yet to determine the budget appropriation that will be needed once the plan is formally adopted.

Last year, students applying for admission to state universities had to pay about Rp 175,000 ($19) each. The money is used to cover the cost of administering the exams.

Every year, hundreds of thousands of students from across the archipelago take the national test for admission to state universities, but fewer than 100,000 are ultimately accepted.

Raihan Iskandar, a House member from the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) on Commission X, which oversees education, confirmed Nuh’s statement.

“We have agreed on that article. Registration to enter state universities is free,” he said.

The national test for state universities, in addition to being held for no charge next year, might also see other changes.

Nuh said the ministry was considering whether writing tests or other forms of assessment were needed. “But whatever the test will be, it’s going to be totally free,” he added.

Sukemi, an adviser to the Ministry of Education and Culture, told the Jakarta Globe the ministry was seriously considering using the scores from the mandatory national examination (UN) given to all graduating high school students to screen university applicants.

That proposal would eliminate the need for graduating students to take two high-stakes exams in quick succession.

The ministry will also work on information technology systems so that all students, including those living in remote areas, can easily join the state university screening.

Raihan said House members hoped that with the free registration, more high school graduates would apply next year.

“We just ask that they apply and take the test,” he said.

He said members were working to soon deliberate the bill. But with other vital discussions at the House ongoing, including the contentious fuel subsidy issue, Raihan admitted that lawmakers’ attention was focused elsewhere at present. (dar)