Jakarta – The House of Representatives has accused the National Education Ministry of covering up rampant cheating during the recent National Exam.

Deputy chairman of the House's Commission X on education, Heri Akhmadi, said Wednesday the lawmakers had found the entire third year students from 14 senior high schools failed the exam, bringing the toll of schools with zero percent passing grade to 33.

"The ministry knows about the findings, but refuses to admit them, saying the official result of the exam would be announced according to the schedule," deputy chairman of the Commission Heri Akhmadi told The Jakarta Post.

The House claims to obtain the data during its own field investigation and from the National Education Standard Agency (BSNP). The House said the students failed because the answer sheets they obtained prior to the test were all wrong. The result of the exam will be officially made public on June 16.

"We have held a meeting with the ministry and we insist that test rerun in the 33 schools is out of question. The ministry has agreed to delay the planned remedial test until an investigation into massive cheating during the exam is conducted," Heri said.

The ministry was supposed to hold a press conference to clarify the findings on Wednesday, but was delayed indefinitely.

"We want to avoid confusion and misunderstanding. We need to look deeper into the matter. We cannot confirm on the test rerun either or anything else because the official result has not been announced yet," a spokesman for the ministry, Muhadjir, said. (hdt)