Menilai Ulang Asesmen Masuk TK dan SD: Bukti Sistematis mengenai Efektivitas, Dampak, dan Arah Kebijakan
Keywords:
School readiness, School entry assessment, Early childhood education, Retained primitive reflex, Educational policyAbstract
Purpose – This study examines the effectiveness, impacts, and policy implications of academic-oriented entry assessments for kindergarten and primary school—a contested global practice that conflicts with the neurological and multidimensional nature of school readiness—with a specific focus on evaluating Indonesia's policy reform under Permendikdasmen No. 3 of 2025.
Design/methods/approach – A Systematic Literature Review (SLR) guided by the PRISMA framework was conducted. A systematic search across Scopus and Google Scholar database yielded 183 eligible articles published between 2020 and 2026. The gathered data were synthesized using thematic analysis and narrative synthesis methods.
Findings – The analysis identified five principal themes: (1) academic screeners possess limited predictive validity for actual school readiness; (2) retained primitive reflexes (RPR) act as primary neurological barriers to early literacy and numeracy development; (3) early academic pressure and birthday cutoff policies induce adverse effects, including ADHD misdiagnosis in clinically healthy children; (4) unequal access to qualified assessment specialists in remote regions perpetuates structural discrimination; and (5) there is an urgent demand for holistic, developmentally grounded evaluation instruments.
Conclusion – The findings suggest that reforming school entry assessment is an educational and policy priority grounded in developmental science, equity, and children's rights.
Contribution – This study synthesizes contemporary evidence on school entry assessment and school readiness, bridging neurological development and educational assessment to inform the implementation of developmentally appropriate policies under Indonesia's Permendikdasmen No. 3 of 2025.
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