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The implementation of the National Examination (Ujian Nasional, UN) is based on the regulation of the Ministry of National Education of the Republic of Indonesia No. 45 of 2006 on the National Examination. The National Examination aims to assess the graduate competencies achievement on specific subjects nationally (Umar, 2008). The National Examination in economics subject is one of the evaluation instruments to measure the achievement of educational objectives, in this case, the graduate competencies in economics subject nationally.
Despite many problems in the implementation, Furqon (2014) affirmed that there is a relationship between the NE in Indonesia and the quality improvement of education, schools, teachers, parents, and students. Wulan (2011) conducted a study on student learning difficulties in the secondary schools having averagely medium and low scores on the NE in economics subject. The results showed that most students had learning difficulties in most essential materials and competencies. Learning difficulties experienced by the students resulted in student difficulties in achieving the Graduation Standards (Standar Kompetensi Lulusan, SKL) on the National Examination. The study also revealed that the non-optimal learning process, assessment, and remedial teaching in the schools resulted in many students with learning difficulties. Beside, the research results of the Center for Educational Assessment (2014) indicated that the learning process in some schools/education units for the NE had not been optimal.
According to Ekowati (2008), the characteristics of economics subject are: Economics starts from real economic facts or symptoms. The facts show that human needs are unlimited, while economic resources as a means to meet the needs are limited. Economics develops theories to explain the facts rationally. To enable people to study and explain the economic symptoms systematically, the economics concepts and theories are designed into economics. Besides having systematic requirements, economics also meets the scientific requirements i.e. being objective and has a clear purpose.
Understanding the characteristics of economics for economics teachers or teacher candidates will help them to organize their teaching optimally. Organizing the abilities (especially pedagogical competence and professional competence) raises clear connection and identification between the teaching materials and the learning designs to make the materials learnable and effective for achieving objectives.
Each subject has its objectives mainly determined by its characteristics. Economics is the science of human behavior and actions to meet the various life needs and to progress with existing resources through production, consumption, and distribution activities. Economics is a subject that must be taken by students majoring in social studies in high school and one of the subjects tested in the National Examination in Indonesia. Criteria of mastery learning for each indicator has been set in a basic competence, ranging from 0%-100%. Ideal criteria for each indicator are greater than 75%. Determination is adapted to the conditions of the school, such as the ability of students and teachers, as well as the availability of infrastructure and facilities. Empirical data shows that the effort to improve the quality of learning in schools has been done, but still there are more than 30% of basic competence was incomplete from the results of economics in the national examination for public high schools in District Meranti Islands during the last 3 years, and the incomplete competencies ware homogeneous.
Therefore, it is necessary to conduct this research to identify the reasons for the low student competencies on the NE in economics subject. It is hoped that some solutions to overcome the problems in improving success in economics learning could be found. Based on the above background, the research objectives are to (1) Analyze the economics basic competencies difficult to be mastered by the students, (2) Investigate the factors causing the low student competencies on the NE in economics subject for the related basic competencies and find the solution to overcome the problems, and (3) Formulate the appropriate model to improve success in economics learning. The results of this research are expected to (1) be an input for schools in general and teachers in particular to improve success in economics learning, (2) be a reference to improve education quality and to diagnose problems occurred in education, especially related to the improvement of success in economics learning in schools.