Jakarta (ANTARA) - The National Population and Family Planning Agency (BKKBN) held competency tests in a number of regions to strengthen the performance of family planning counselors (PKB) in carrying out their duties and functions in the Bangga Kencana program.

"This activity is targeted at PKB who have not taken the competency test, have taken the competency test but with a 'follow-up development' result and lastly, it also prioritizes PKB who will be promoted," Head of the Bali representative office of BKKBN Ni Luh Gede Sukardiasih said in a statement received on Sunday.

The competency tests were held in three provinces, namely Bali, with 96 PKB; Bangka Belitung, with 14 PKB; and Gorontalo, with 148 PKB.

Bali Province held the test simultaneously in all districts and cities on Tuesday, November 22, 2022.

According to Sukardiasih, three standards were examined in the test, including technical, managerial, and socio-cultural competencies. The test is a Computer Assisted Test (CAT) that was carried out online, in which the participants were required to answer 100 multiple-choice questions within five hours.

There are three categories of results, namely passing above the standard, passing according to the standard, and not passing with a "follow-up development" result.

Meanwhile, in Gorontalo province, a number of experts were brought by the Gorontalo representative office of BKKBN to increase the knowledge of PKB.

The learning materials included the latest contraceptive methods and types of contraceptive devices and drugs, the expiration date of contraceptive drugs and the effectiveness of their use, and the evaluation of the achievements of family planning participants.

The PKB quality improvement activity was held at the Grand Q Hotel in Gorontalo City on November 21-22 and November 24-25, 2022.

The event was held because there were still many problems that caused family planning services not to meet the target yet, such as the decrease in family planning field workers, the uneven coverage of family planning services, and the quality of family planning services that was not yet optimal.

"Apart from that, the recording and reporting activities encountered many obstacles in the field, which resulted in low reporting coverage in all health facilities across Gorontalo Province," Acting Head of the Gorontalo representative office of BKKBN Joko Wiyanto said.

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Translator: Hreeloita Dharma, Raka Adji
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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