BLITAR – Junior high schools in Blitar have started the TKA trial exam as students prepare for the upcoming Academic Competency Test. The practice sessions aim to familiarize students with the exam system before the official assessment begins.
Schools across the city launched the two-day simulation on Monday and Tuesday. During the trial exam, students complete tests in two subjects: mathematics and Indonesian language.
Zeny Dwi Cayhanto, vice principal for curriculum at SMP Negeri 1 Blitar, said the first day focused on mathematics while the second day tested Indonesian language skills.
“The simulation runs for two days. Monday is for mathematics and Tuesday is for Indonesian language,” Zeny said on Monday.
Each exam session lasts 75 minutes. Students answer 30 questions prepared by the provincial exam team.
At SMP Negeri 1 Blitar, the school uses three computer laboratories for the trial exam. Each room contains up to 20 computers, allowing around 60 students to take the test in one session.
“Three computer rooms operate during the exam. Each room has a maximum of 20 computers, so one session can serve about 60 students,” Zeny explained.
Because of the large number of participants, the school divides the exam into several sessions throughout the day. In total, five sessions run daily to accommodate all students.
School administrators initially planned two exam waves. The first wave included three sessions and the second wave included two sessions, but officials later combined them into five sessions in a single day.
Education authorities require all junior high schools in Blitar to conduct the trial exam at the same time. Both public and private schools follow the same schedule to ensure standardized preparation.
Zeny said the coordinated schedule also aligns with instructions from the East Java provincial TKA team. The uniform timetable allows schools to prepare students under similar testing conditions.
The simulation helps students understand the computer-based exam format while reducing anxiety ahead of the main test. Schools hope the trial will also help teachers evaluate student readiness before the official TKA takes place.