The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education has officially announced a strategic adjustment to the national assessment calendar by providing makeup Academic Competency Tests, known as Tes Kemampuan Akademik or TKA, for elementary school students in North Maluku who have been hindered by persistent seismic activity. This decision underscores the government’s commitment to prioritizing student safety and psychological well-being while maintaining the integrity of national educational standards. In several districts across the North Maluku province, the educational environment has been significantly disrupted by a series of earthquakes and aftershocks that have left students, teachers, and parents in a state of heightened anxiety. While the drive for academic achievement remains high among the local populace, the physical and mental toll of living in a disaster-prone zone has necessitated a more flexible approach to high-stakes testing.
Minister of Primary and Secondary Education, Abdul Mu’ti, confirmed that the ministry had received numerous reports from regional offices indicating that the original testing window, scheduled for April 20 to April 30, 2026, was no longer feasible for many communities. The recurring tremors have not only damaged some school infrastructures but have also created an atmosphere of fear that is fundamentally incompatible with the concentration required for academic assessments. By introducing a "susulan" or makeup test policy, the state aims to ensure that no child is penalized for circumstances beyond their control, effectively bridging the gap between disaster management and educational continuity.
Geological Context and the Impact on North Maluku Schools
North Maluku is situated in one of the most geologically active regions of the Indonesian archipelago. Located at the confluence of several major tectonic plates—including the Philippine Sea Plate, the Pacific Plate, and the Eurasian Plate—the province is frequently subjected to both volcanic and seismic events. In the weeks leading up to the scheduled TKA, a series of moderate-to-strong earthquakes struck several regencies, including South Halmahera and the Sula Islands. Although many of these tremors did not result in large-scale structural collapses, the frequency of aftershocks has been high enough to trigger trauma among the younger population.
In the context of the 2026 academic year, these seismic events created a logistical and psychological bottleneck. School buildings, which serve as the primary venues for the TKA, must undergo safety inspections before they can host hundreds of students simultaneously. Furthermore, the Indonesian government’s "Satuan Pendidikan Aman Bencana" (Disaster-Resilient Education Units) protocol dictates that educational activities should be suspended or modified if the safety of the participants cannot be guaranteed. The Ministry’s decision to reschedule the tests is a direct application of this protocol, recognizing that a child’s right to safety is as fundamental as their right to education.
Chronology of the Decision and Implementation Strategy
The process leading to the announcement of makeup tests followed a systematic evaluation of field conditions. In early April 2026, as the initial testing dates approached, local education authorities in North Maluku began documenting a decline in student attendance and a rise in requests for school closures due to safety concerns. By mid-April, the intensity of the seismic swarms prompted regional leaders to communicate directly with the central government in Jakarta.
On April 20, 2026, as the first wave of testing began in other parts of Indonesia, it became clear that several districts in North Maluku could not participate effectively. Minister Abdul Mu’ti noted that the request for a reschedule came directly from the regions, where local officials argued that forcing children to sit for exams while fearing for their lives would result in inaccurate assessments of their true academic capabilities.
The Ministry has since moved into a data-collection phase. Educational supervisors and local disaster management agencies (BPBD) are currently mapping which specific schools were most affected. This data-driven approach ensures that the makeup exams are targeted specifically at those in need, preventing a total overhaul of the national schedule while providing a localized safety net. The Minister emphasized that this is not an "ujian ulang" (re-test) for those who failed, but a "susulan" (makeup) for those who were physically or psychologically unable to attend the first session.
Supporting Data and Educational Infrastructure
To understand the scale of this intervention, it is necessary to look at the educational landscape of North Maluku. The province comprises over 800 inhabited islands, making the distribution of exam materials and the monitoring of school safety a massive logistical challenge. According to data from the Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS) and the Ministry of Education, there are approximately 1,200 elementary schools across the province, serving a diverse student population in both urban centers like Ternate and remote coastal villages.
Initial reports suggest that approximately 15% to 20% of schools in the hardest-hit regencies reported significant disruptions during the April 20–30 window. In these areas, the TKA—which measures core competencies in literacy and numeracy—could not be administered under standard conditions. By providing a makeup window, the Ministry is accommodating thousands of students who would otherwise have faced a gap in their academic records. This policy also takes into account the digital divide; while some schools use computer-based testing, many in remote parts of Maluku Utara still rely on paper-based assessments, which are harder to coordinate during a period of frequent evacuations and logistical delays.
Official Responses and Stakeholder Perspectives
The announcement has been met with relief from various stakeholders in the region. Local educators have pointed out that during a disaster, the school’s role shifts from a place of instruction to a place of refuge. "We cannot expect a ten-year-old to focus on a math problem when they are listening for the sound of the emergency siren," said a local school principal in Labuha. The psychological safety of the students has been a primary concern for the Indonesian Teachers Association (PGRI), which lauded the Ministry’s flexibility.
Minister Abdul Mu’ti’s stance reflects a broader shift in the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education’s philosophy under the current administration. The emphasis is increasingly on "humanizing" the assessment process. By explicitly stating that the government will not "force the situation," the Minister is acknowledging the human element in the educational bureaucracy. "This is a form of state presence," the Minister remarked, suggesting that the government’s role is to adapt to the needs of the citizens rather than demanding that citizens adapt to rigid, potentially dangerous schedules.
Furthermore, the National Agency for Disaster Countermeasure (BNPB) has coordinated with the Ministry to provide updated seismic risk maps. This collaboration ensures that the new dates for the makeup tests are selected during a window of predicted seismic stability, although the unpredictable nature of earthquakes means that contingency plans remain in place.
Broader Implications for National Education Policy
The situation in North Maluku serves as a critical case study for how the Indonesian education system handles the "new normal" of frequent natural disasters. As an archipelago located on the Ring of Fire, Indonesia must integrate disaster resilience into every aspect of its public policy, including education. The decision to implement makeup TKA sessions sets a precedent for future crises, whether they be volcanic eruptions in Java, floods in Kalimantan, or earthquakes in Sulawesi.
There is also a significant analytical component to this decision regarding the validity of standardized testing. Critics of high-stakes testing often argue that external factors—such as socioeconomic status or environmental stress—can skew results. By allowing students to take the test when they are safe and calm, the Ministry is attempting to ensure that the TKA results are a true reflection of academic ability rather than a reflection of disaster-induced trauma.
In the long term, this event highlights the need for more "disaster-resilient curriculum" and assessment models. This includes the development of modular testing that can be paused and resumed, or the expansion of digital assessment platforms that allow students to take tests from temporary shelters or alternative learning centers. The 2026 North Maluku makeup exams may well be the catalyst for a more robust, flexible national assessment framework that can withstand the geographical realities of Indonesia.
Conclusion and Future Outlook
As the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education finalizes the new dates for the makeup TKA in North Maluku, the focus remains on the students. The "presence of the state" in this context is measured not just by the administration of a test, but by the provision of a safe environment in which to learn and grow. The government’s willingness to reschedule reflects a mature understanding of the challenges faced by those living in the country’s peripheral regions.
For the students in North Maluku, the makeup test represents a second chance to demonstrate their hard work without the looming shadow of a natural disaster. For the Ministry, it is an exercise in logistics, empathy, and crisis management. As the seismic activity eventually subsides, the lessons learned from this period of disruption will likely inform Indonesian educational policy for years to come, ensuring that the pursuit of knowledge is never compromised by the volatility of the earth. The government’s proactive stance ensures that even in the face of the earth’s tremors, the future of the nation’s children remains on solid ground.
