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With the national examinations set to begin on Monday, students with special cases are making last-ditch efforts to make sure they can take the test that, if they pass, will allow them to complete high school and go to college.

Linda Amalia Sari, the minister for women’s empowerment and child protection, said on Friday that her ministry was urging the local government of Sidoarjo, East Java, to allow two pregnant students who were victims of rape to take part in the exams. State schools prohibit students who are with child from taking the test.

“There is no reason [for them not to]. They should get their right to education even though they are pregnant and victims of violence,” Linda said. “They have the right to take part in the national examination, and they can re-take it later.”

She added that the ministry would do everything that it could to ensure the two students took the test.

“We are facilitating this and they have to be able to take the examinations,” she said. “This is their right as students and it will be unacceptable if they cannot take part in the examinations just because of pregnancy.”

She also said excluding the girls could violate the Law on Child Protection as every child had the right to live, grow, develop, and take part in society as well as to receive protection from violence and discrimination.

Suagustono, the deputy head of Sidoarjo’s Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection Agency (P3A), said the agency had been assisting the two students, who come from different high schools, since they were raped six months ago.

Suagustono, however, said that the girls were not registered as students who could take part in the examinations.

Separately, state news agency Antara reported that two juvenile inmates in Tanjung Gusta, Medan had asked the local prosecutor’s office to let them take part in the national examinations.

Masriza Fitrano and Alim Mukbin Mekis were convicted of drug possession and sentenced to seven years in jail.

J aya Saragih, the head of penitentiary’s counsel department, said that they have sent letters to the prosecutor’s office.

“However, we have not received any reply at the moment. We hope we can get the letter of permission soon,” Jaya said.

Almost 10 million students are scheduled to take the nationwide exams, which start on Monday. Some 4.3 million elementary school students will take their final test, while 3.4 million junior high students and 2.2 million senior high students will take the national exam.

Exams for senior high school students will run from Monday through Friday, while junior high school students will take exams between March 29 and April 1. Nurfika Osman