National Exam in Pros and Cons [discussion text]

National exam becomes the hot topic in most of discussions. Though the Supreme Court has rejected an appeal by the government on the organization of the national exams, the controversy over whether it is necessary to maintain the national exams (UN) has continued. Some debates include the primary questions such as; does the quality of Indonesia education depend on the national exam? will the quality of the Indonesian education system worsen without national exam?

People, who support the national exam, explain that the quality of the Indonesia education system will drop without the national exam, so they try to defend the current system.

However there are people who disagree with the opinion. Those who against this national exam kept in our high school education say that it doesn't need the national exams because the quality of education does not just depend on the national exam. Further, the national exam only measures a small portion of students' competence in specific subjects, and does not measure students' competences throughout the semester.

In fact, the national examination can still be useful as an instrument to evaluate or detect the level of students' cognitive competence in several subjects, on a national scale.

Arranged from: www.thejakartapost.com/news/2009/12/19/quality-education-and-national-exams.html 

Bogor

What’s so amazing about Bogor? Most people know Bogor as the rain city. Aside from its asinan and Unyil bread . but do you know that bogor is mentioned in the Guinness Book Of Record?

According to the Guinness Book Of Records, the highest keraunic level in the world is reached at bogor. a keraunic level is defined as the average annual number of thunderstorm days or hours for a given locality. In a year Bogor has 322 days of electrical storm, while other cities in the world averagely has 80 days.

There’s no further explanation why Bogor is lightning’s favorite place to strike. So, if you live in or go to Bogor, be careful you don’t get electrified!

source : Cn's Magazine 

Kakaban island

Kakaban island is part of the Derawan Islands, East Kalimantan. The island has an area of 774,2 hectares and is quite steep with limestone cliffs covered with dense jungle right down to the water’s edge and few beaches. In the middle of this island, there is a mangrove lake, slightly above sea level, where thousands of non-stinging jellyfish live. There are at least four different species of jellyfish which have a lost their natural defense system because of the lack of major predators in the lake. This unique lake can only be matched with a lake in Palay, Micronesia.

Now, imagine yourself swimming and diving together with these stingless jellyfish. Awesome!

 

Raja Ampat Islands

 

Raja Ampat ( the four kings) archipelago encompasses more than 9.8 million acres of land and sea off the north western tip of Indonesia’s West Papua Province. Located in the Coral Triangle, the heart of the world’s coral reef biodiversity, the seas around Raja Ampat possibly hold the richest variety of species in the world.

A scientific survey of Raja Ampat islands conducted in 2002 by the nature conservancy showed that Raja Ampat houses 537 species, 899 kinds of fish. This makes Raja Ampat the best diving site in Indonesia.

On land, the survey found lush forest, rare plants, limestone outcroppings, and nesting beaches for thousands of sea turtles.

 

  

source : Cn's Magazine