ASSESSMENT IN INDONESIA

English is a compulsory subject in schools in Indonesia (Lauder, 2008; Mattarima & Hamdan, 2011). It is
taught as a foreign language since it occurs mostly in the classroom rather than in daily communication
(Sulistyo, 2016). The adoption of English language by Indonesia has brought a great change in
educational policies including the pedagogy of language teaching, methodology, curriculum, and
evaluation (Mappiasse, 2014). Those policies are made to improve students’ proficiency.

According to Department of National Education of the Republic of Indonesia, the English curriculum has
been implemented from elementary to senior high school. In elementary, English subject remains
optional while from junior high school to high school, English is included as obligatory subject. Especially
in senior high school, each grade, students have to reach at least the minimum competences to ensure
their ability in English. The standard competence of teaching and speaking in senior high school is mostly
conducted through oral expression and reading various text types (Mappiasse, 2014). However, most of
senior high school students are still struggling because they find it hard to communicate in English
because they are impacted by L1. Some of the identified problems of existing curriculum include the
allocation of inadequate time for English lesson, lack of resources and instructional materials, lack of
motivation by the stakeholders and open display of disgust for the language by students (Mappiasse,
2014). Teachers are also faced with many problems in the course of their duties in teaching English as
foreign language especially with overcrowded classrooms.

From the above mentioned, evaluation becomes an integral part of the educational system. It must have
proper and coordinated service delivery within the system. Based on Ornstein and Hunkins (1998). They
asserted that by conducting evaluation, the success and the failure of the curriculum before and during
the implementation and the usefulness of its application can be determined. It is added that
multicultural experiences are needed to be included in the curriculum of Indonesia.

Lauder, A. (2008). The status and function of English in Indonesia: A review of key factors. MAKARA,
SOCIAL HUMANIORA, 12(1), 9-20.

Mattarima, K., & Hamdan, A. R. (2011). The teaching constraint of English as a foreign language in
Indonesia: The context of school based curriculum. SOCIOHUMANIKA, 4(2), 287-300.

Sulistiyo, U. (2016). English Language Teaching and EFL Teacher Competence in

Indonesia. Proceedings of ISELT FBS Universitas Negeri Padang, 4(2), 396-406.

Mappiasse, S. S., & Sihes, A. J. B. (2014). Evaluation of English as a foreign language and its curriculum
in Indonesia: A review. English Language Teaching, 7(10), 113.