Deputy Chairman of Commission X DPR Proposes 2026 National Exams to be Digital Based, Leaving Manual System

Illustration of children taking the exam (ANTARA)

JAKARTA - Deputy Chairman of Commission X of the Indonesian House of Representatives, Lalu Hadrian Irfani responded to the discourse on holding the national exam (UN) again by the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education. Lalu proposed that the implementation of the UN use a computerized or digital system, not a manual method.

Lalu hopes that the digital system can reduce the potential for cheating. His party also appreciates the plan to implement the UN in 2026, but the implementation of the exam must no longer use the old format.

"We have conveyed to the Minister of Primary and Secondary Education, please implement the national exam, but do not use the old format or manual method," said Lalu Ari, Monday, January 6.

Previously, said Lalu, the UN used paper questions, so that it required a fairly complicated printing process. In addition to requiring expensive costs in printing questions, according to him, the process of distributing questions is also not easy. Especially in remote or isolated areas.

Not only that, said Lalu, the process of sending questions must also be strictly monitored by the police. Starting from the printing house, province, district/city, sub-district, even to the school level.

"That's why we ask not to use the old system. The manual method must be abandoned," said Lalu Ari.

The Head of the Regional Board of Directors (PKB DPW) of West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) emphasized that the implementation of the UN later must use a digital system in all schools that hold final exams. The digital and computerized system, according to Lalu, will reduce the potential for cheating.

The former member of the Regional Representative Council (DPRD) of NTB also reminded the Ministry of Education and Culture to prepare the digital infrastructure needs carefully before the UN is implemented. Starting from computers or laptops, internet networks, and reliable servers.

"The IT network must be really thought about and prepared from now on, so that later the digital UN can be implemented properly," he said.

Lalu Ari added that the problems that occurred in the implementation of the national assessment must not be repeated in the UN later. For example, the implementation of the national assessment in NTB was less effective because it was caused by inadequate IT facilities.

Lalu said that the assessment tools were only available in the city and were used alternately at the sub-district level. "So, schools have to wait for their turn to use the assessment tools. Clearly this takes quite a long time," he said.

"That must not happen in the upcoming UN. IT infrastructure must be properly prepared," Lalu continued.

The legislator from Electoral District NTB II also asked the government to prepare a large enough budget for the provision of digital infrastructure for the UN. So, Lalu said, the Ministry of Education and Culture must start calculating the IT budget needs.

Regarding the possibility of leaking questions, Lalu Ari asked the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education to anticipate. The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education must prepare a concept so that there are no leaks of questions.

"That is the task of the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education. What is clear is that the police should no longer be involved in supervising the national exam," he concluded.