Rizal Harahap and Nethy Dharma Somba, The
Jakarta Post, Pekanbaru/Jayapura | Archipelago | Tue, April 14 2015, 6:59 AM
Although the national examination of senior high school students
ran smoothly across the country on Monday, many disruptions in the
implementation of the computer based test (CBT), used for the first time this
year, reportedly occurred.
After a surprise inspection at four schools in Jakarta before the national exam
started, Culture and Elementary and Secondary Education Minister Anies Baswedan
said he was satisfied with preparations taken at all schools, whether they used
the paper-based test or the CBT.
“Thankfully preparations have been satisfactory so far, including for schools
in the east,” he said, adding that he hoped the situation in Jakarta was a
reflection of the whole nation.
He said the ministry had received news that the first shift of students from 10
high schools and vocational high schools in Papua had successfully started and
completed the CBT with little interruption. However, he noted, one school in
Jayapura had momentarily experienced a blackout during the last five minutes of
the exam, which caused all the computers to shut down.
Some 420 students at SMK 3 vocational high school in Jayapura were unable to do
the test simultaneously as a result of the shortage of computers
“We only have 160 computers, while 480 students are taking the exam, so they
must wait in line. They are divided into three groups, 160 students in each
group,” said school principal Melkianus Mawene in Jayapura.
Apart from the shortage of computers, the school also encountered Internet
connection problems. “The exam committee planned to start downloading questions
from 7 a.m. local time, but the Internet connection was only available at 8:30
a.m.,” said Melkianus.
The computer shortage was not only found in SMK 3 but also in five other
schools in Jayapura.
Meanwhile, the CBT exam at SMA Cendana senior high school and public SMAN 8 in
Pekanbaru, Riau, was at one point disrupted by a disconnection from the central
server in Jakarta.
Riau acting Education Office head Dwi Agus Sumarno ensured that the trouble was
not due to the unpreparedness of schools in implementing the online exam.
“We could not determine the cause, but it seems the server at the Education
Assessment Center at the Culture and Elementary and Secondary Education
Ministry is overburdened. Bear in mind that every school carrying out the
online exam across the country entered data at the same time,” said Dwi.
As many as 37 students taking the exam at SMA Cendana had to wait for the
network to be restored. At SMA 8 in Pekanbaru, a computer was disconnected so
students could not type in their answers online.
An SMA 8 student named Siti Aisyah claimed she lost her concentration due to
the temporary disturbance.
“I was alarmed when the computer suddenly crashed. Fortunately, the technicians
immediately restored the failure. We waited for a while before resuming the
exam,” said Siti.
Meanwhile, the exam, held at SMK 1 in Tinambung, Majene regency, West Sulawesi,
was delayed for several hours as a result of the central server. The students
were only able to take the exam at 1 p.m. local time.
According to the lecturer and the person responsible for information technology
at SMK 1, the file had been disrupted since Sunday, but connection with the central
server was restored on Sunday evening.
“The connection was restored and the file could be opened on Sunday evening,
but on Monday morning, the file suddenly failed when the exam was about to
begin,” said Firdaus.
The file could be accessed again at around 1 p.m. after repairs at the central
server. The test was then carried out until 6 p.m., as the exam was taken in
three separate sessions.
Source : www.thejakartapost.com
- Fedina S. Sundaryani and Andi Hajramurni contributed to the
story
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