TKA expected to increase high school graduate quality

Maros, South Sulawesi (ANTARA) - Principals in South Sulawesi expressed optimism that the implementation of the Academic Ability Test (TKA) will help improve the quality of high school graduates across Indonesia.

“Our role in the field is not just to secure the system, but to think about how we can contribute and improve the existing system. Education in the future should produce generations who can succeed us,” Takbir, a principal of public high school SMAN 1 Maros, said on Monday.

The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education launched TKA for senior high school and vocational students in November 2025, aiming to assess academic performance and support school evaluations.

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

He emphasized that the test’s purpose goes beyond monitoring and validation. He sees it as an opportunity to contribute to system improvements that can shape future generations capable of meeting national challenges.

He expected the TKA implementation will not only capture and compare student performance but also support interventions that enhance the overall quality of education in Indonesia.

Similarly, Daharuddin, principal of SMAN 1 Enrekang, said that the test motivates students to pursue higher education.

According to him, TKA offers an objective measure of students’ academic abilities before they move on to the next level.

"Out of 275 students, only four did not participate, showing very high enthusiasm among our students,” he said.

Previously, Deputy Minister of Primary and Secondary Education Fajar Riza Ul Haq highlighted that the TKA is a national standard assessment designed to measure students’ academic achievement according to current curriculum demands.

The government issued Ministerial Regulation No. 9 of 2025 to formalize TKA, aiming to improve learning quality and better assess student competencies. Haq stressed that the test complements, rather than replaces, assessments conducted by individual schools.

“TKA is a national standard assessment designed to measure students’ academic achievement in specific subjects in line with the curriculum,” he added.