Garut, West Java (ANTARA) - Indonesia's Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education will launch a national academic ability test (TKA) for senior high school and vocational students starting November 2025, aiming to assess academic performance and support school evaluations.

“Beginning this year, in November, the test will be conducted at the high school level,” Deputy Minister Atip Latipulhayat said during a TKA program briefing at Persis Tarogong Islamic Boarding School on Wednesday.

He said the government is committed to strengthening the education system to produce a smarter and higher-quality generation, with TKA being one of the key initiatives toward that goal.

Latipulhayat emphasized that quality education requires continuous innovation and evaluation, not just routine processes, to ensure the system develops capable and intelligent students.

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The test will reach around four million students nationwide. It will not be used as a graduation requirement, but rather as a tool to measure students’ academic abilities. Graduation decisions will remain under the authority of individual schools.

The ministry plans to provide the infrastructure needed for both online and offline administration of the test.

“With TKA, we will have a benchmark that can help improve the quality of learning,” Latipulhayat added.

Beyond student assessment, the TKA is expected to serve as a valuable tool for schools to evaluate teaching effectiveness. It may also become a reference for university admissions or job applications in the future.

Ferdiansyah, head of the Persis Student Association (IPP), welcomed the policy, noting a drop in student motivation since the national exam was scrapped.

He expressed hope that the TKA would foster academic discipline and build mental resilience among students across Indonesia.

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