Agency urges including Pancasila as national exam subject

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Pancasila Ideology Development Agency (BPIP) has proposed including Indonesia's national ideology, Pancasila, as a subject in the national examination.

According to BPIP Chairperson Yudian Wahyudi, the proposal submitted to the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education aims to reintroduce Pancasila moral education as a formal school subject.

"In this case, we have published the main textbook for Pancasila Ideology Education," Wahyudi stated during a hearing with Commission XIII of the House of Representatives (DPR) on Thursday.

BPIP has published a total of 24 Pancasila textbooks—12 for teachers and 12 for students—covering all educational levels from preschool to senior high school. Wahyudi assured that the textbooks align with the latest curriculum regulations.

The Pancasila textbooks will also be available online for residents, and their retail prices will be capped to ensure greater accessibility, the agency head stated.

Regarding the national examination, Primary and Secondary Education Minister Abdul Mu'ti confirmed that the government will hold the exam for senior high school students in November 2025.

"Why November? (This is) so that 12th-graders can use their exam results for university admissions," the minister explained on Tuesday (July 15).

Meanwhile, national exams for primary and junior high school students are scheduled for 2026, he added.

Mu'ti assured that the national exam, which will adopt a new format, will primarily serve as an evaluation tool and will not determine students' graduation.