Essay

The Negative Impacts of National Examination

The examination is the main determinant of graduation for students. It is only oriented to cognitive assessment, assessment of attitudes, morals, manners, etc aside. The national examination is a scary thing for most of the students. From year to year, government increases the standard of graduation grade. Even the subjects tested also increased. It is clearly more difficult for students. After three years in school, the graduation is only specified in the national examination. It is unfair for them. There are some negative impacts from the national examination. First, most of  the students experienced stress and oppressed before, during, and after the national examination, especially students who feel less prepared for the national examination so that many students cannot focus when they do the national examination questions. Second, the students will pay attention to grades than knowledge which they got in the school. Third, there are many frauds various backgrounds. Many parties requested for national exam review because it has given the big impact for students, but until now, the examination still is being run and be the main determinant of graduation for students.

The graduation standard grade is increasing from year to year. It makes students feel stressed and oppressed before, during, and after the national examination. They feel a sense of misgivings if they fail on the national examination. During the national examination, students usually feel nervous, moreover when they see the face of an invigilator who looks so strict. After the national examination, students still feel stressed because they feel the excessive concern on the result of examination. They think about their result of the exam what the result is good or not. Feeling stressed and oppessed are not only experienced by students. Parents, teachers, and school also feel like that. First, parents feel worried if their child fails on the national examination. If it happens, they will feel embrassed. They also feel failed to be parents. Second, teachers also feel worried of their students. If their students fail, they feel unsuccess when they taught. Because of that, teachers do strive so that their students can succeed on the national examination. The teachers and parents work together with school parties, such as holding try out and praying together. Finally, when the announcement of graduation is held, all the feelings become one. The students who successfully pass the exam will feel happy, whereas they who fail will feel stressed or depressed. Some students who fail on the national examination and give up, they usually choose to end their life than they have to live with bear a sense of shame. The condition is so sad.

Most of the students will concetrate on the grade than knowledge which they got in the school. They just think about how to get good grades instead of how the way to get the beneficial knowledge. They look for how to answer the questions of national examination quickly and exactly. They learned just for facing a preparation of the national examination. Therefore, after the national examination finished, they will forget what they have learned. Besides that, they just concern about subjects included in the national examination. While other subjects that are not included in the national examination are ignored. Whereas all subjects should be tested because they are equally important subjects for living in the future. Ahead before the national examination, the students were busy to look for answer about the examples of the national examination questions. They should prioritize more on understanding the concepts than just remembering how to quickly answer the national examination questions. When students find different and difficult questions, they can still find the solution of questions. The learning process is only emphasized to cognitive aspects than other aspects such as affective and psychomotor aspects which are ignored.

The national examination often triggers the occurrence of fraud or dishonesty in its execution. First, it comes from students. Some students usually find exam questions before the national examination, they share answer to other. Moreover, bulk cheating during the national examination already becomes the culture among students. The smartest student in the class became a key in the national examination. The students tend to be unconfident of their own capability. They choose to depend on their smartest friends. They are afraid if their answers are wrong and suffer a big risk of failed being on the national examination. Besides, there are teachers who also do cheating when the national examination takes place. Some teachers help their students by sending the answer of the subjects which are being tested. Although they know what they have done is wrong, but they insist that what they do for the good of their students. It is one of the factors the descent of motivation learning students.

            The national examination has given many negative impacts for our education world. First, most of the students feel stressed and oppressed before, during, and after the national examination. The feeling is experienced by students, parents, teachers, and schools. So that, all parties work together for the students’s success. Second, most of the students will concetrate move on the grade value than knowledge which they got in the school. The students just concern about subjects included in the national examination and the other subjects are ignored. Actually, all subjects are equally important for living in the future. Third, the graduation standard grade is increasing from year to year. It also makes students give up and choose to find shortcuts. Bulk cheating during the national examination already become the culture among students. Besides, some teachers help their students by sending the answer of the subjects which are being tested. The condition is so scary. The government should re-arrange the education system in this country. This is not the time for the government to look for a good reputation in education by increasing the national graduation grade, but this is time to increase the quality of students so that they can compete in the global competition.

References :

Godam64. (2008, June 25). Efek dampak buruk standar nilai ujian nasional UN tinggi demi peningkatan kualitas pendidikan Indonesia. Retrieved December 07, 2011, from: http://organisasi.org/efek-dampak-buruk-standar-nilai-ujian-nasional-un-tinggi-demi-peningkatan-kualitas-pendidikan-indonesia

Refleksi UN, matinya teori belajar. Retrieved December 07, 2011, from: http://blog.tp.ac.id/refleksi-un-matinya-teori-belajar

Checep05. ( 2009, July 10). Dampak buruk ujian nasional. Retrieved December 07, 2011, from: http://smacepiring.wordpress.com/2009/07/10/dampak-buruk-ujian-nasional/

(2010, March 20). Ujian nasional berkonotasi negatif? Retrieved December 07, 2011, from: http://dedekusn.com/tag/dampak-negatif-ujian-nasional/