University Applicants Given Broader Choices

The 2023 national student admission at state universities will allow applicants more freedom when they come to choosing a study program. Prospective students are also free to take the study programs across border.

KOMPAS/WILIBRORDUS MEGANDIKA WICAKSONO

Participants take part in national state university admission at Jenderal Soedirman University Purwokerto, Banyumas, Central Java, Tuesday (17/5/2022).

JAKARTA, KOMPAS — The 2023 national state university admission through the SNPMB pathway (high school academic-based) provides prospective students with more diverse menu on study programs including diploma 3, diploma 4 (applied undergraduate) and S-1 (bachelor) programs. Selection participants can choose study programs at state universities without them being restricted to either science and technology or social humanity majors.

The newly introduced university-admission scheme was unveiled in Jakarta on Wednesday (1/12/2022). The first selection pathway to be held will be the academic performance-based national selection or SNBP for 12th-grade students of senior high schools (SMA), vocational schools (SMK) and the equivalents on 3 Jan., 2023. It will be followed with the entrance test-based national selection or SNBT beginning on 23 March, and mandiri (self-administered) pathway at respective universities.

Nizam, acting director general of higher education, research and technology at the Education, Culture, Research and Technology Ministry, said the new admission scheme would give prospective students more access to broader fields of study at state universities.

He said it was part of the educational transformation that sought to harmonize the Merdeka Belajar (freedom in learning) concept at the level of senior high school with its adjusted learning curriculum with Kampus Merdeka concept at state university. He added the new university-admission scheme aimed to ensure that the admitted students could complete their chosen study programs in time.

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Nizam further said the admission system would allow SMA and SMK a greater role, especially in the academic achievement-based selection. The selection criteria used to the domain of university, but “starting next year, there will be a mutually prepared reference so that there is shared responsibility in the academic-based pathway”.

The entrance test will be carried in the form of computer-based written examination (UTBK), which incorporates the scholastic potential test (TPS), literacy and numeracy. This way enables objective assessment for prospective students to be able enter state universities in pursuing their study program of interest while state universities can take students of best talents with high potential for success.

It is common internationally that universities admit students not merely based on academic achievement, but also their scholastic tests, reasoning competence, problem solving, critical thinking, numeracy and literacy on the selected-study programs.

"[Using] scholastic tests as well as literacy and numeracy, [we] are by no mean overlooking academic skills. They are useful as a foundation for seamless learning at university. So, it is important for students to choose study subjects while at SMA or SMK," Nizam said.

KOMPAS/ESTER LINCE NAPITUPULU

Press conference Launching of the national selection for new student admissions or SNPMB PTN in 2023 at the Ministry of Education and Culture, Thursday (1/12/2022).

More freedom in choices

Regarding the academic performance-based selection, which provides choices of study programs at the D-3, D-4, or S-1, SNPMB chairman Mochamad Ashari said the selection participants would be free to register at the diploma or undergraduate level only or both. The participants can also take a maximum of two study programs, either vocational or academic, or both.

Regardless of their academic specialization at high school, selection participants are free to choose a study program across natural science, social science or language ​​majors at universities. "What is important is that they are responsible in exercising their freedom," Ashari said.

While being given more freedom in the choices of study program, which means no restriction to the natural sciences (IPA) or social sciences (IPS), prospective students are urged to self-assess their aptitude and competence before joining lectures according to the preferred study programs.

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“Sciences across the board are free to choose. However, be rational. For example, a social-science student who wants to choose a civil-engineering program must consider whether they can complete their studies before they graduate," 2023 SNPMB chief executive Budi Widyobroto said.

For the computer-based admission test, the selection will be based on scholastic competence and academic knowledge in Indonesian, English and mathematics.

The scholastic test is important to measure cognitive competence, which is believed to not only be more objective and inclusive in the assessment of prospective students, but also helpful in following the learning program in formal educational institutions, particularly in universities. Scholastic tests aim to find one’s competence in reasoning, quantifying, aptitude, reading and writing comprehension.

Parents should not be complacent just because their children enter a state university. What's important is that children have aptitude in their field [of choice].

Anindito Aditomo, the ministry’s official in charge of curriculum standardization and education evaluation, said the SNPMB pathway served as a bridge of educational transformation that aimed to build relevance between secondary education and higher education (university) in terms of literacy, numeracy, basic skills, reasoning power and solving problems. Secondary education was also urged to be holistic.

The academic performance-based university admission requires senior high school students to identify and decide which subject appeals to their interest in order that they become more focused in study and more prepared for further education.

Lecturer and education-consultant Ina Liem said the more freedom in the choices of study programs made scholastic-competence assessment essential in admitting students to universities. She said prospective students should meet the basic requirements of a study program.

“Parents should not be complacent just because their children enter a state university. What's important is that children have aptitude in their field [of choice]," Ina said.

This article was translated by Musthofid.