PORTALJABAR, BANDUNG CITY - The West Java (Jabar) Provincial Communication and Informatics Office (Diskominfo) in collaboration with the West Java Indonesian Journalists Association (PWI) held a Journalist Competency Test (UKW) for classes 74, 75 and 76.

In this year's UKW implementation, around 200 participants will take part in the activity in two locations, namely Bandung and Majalengka.

In Bandung, the activity is scheduled to take place at the West Java PWI Sports Hall, Jalan Wartawan II Number 23, Bandung City, on June 24-25, 2026. A total of 100 participants will take part in the UKW in Bandung.

Meanwhile, in Majalengka, the UKW (Journal of Journalism) will be held in July 2026. The selection process is currently open, with a quota of 100 participants. The UKW exam is free for journalists.

The UKW is open to all active journalists who have worked for at least two years, as stipulated in Article 1 of Law No. 40 concerning the Press. Journalists who are still employed by a legally registered press company (Article 9, paragraph 2 of Law No. 40 concerning the Press) and are still actively carrying out journalistic duties.

Head of the West Java Province Communication and Informatics Office, Adi Komar, said that collaboration with the Indonesian Journalists Association (PWI) has been carried out frequently, including in the implementation of the UKW (Communication Week).

"This collaboration is certainly intended to further improve the capacity of journalists working in the West Java region," he stressed, Monday (22/6/2026).

Adi added that journalists are important partners in promoting the performance and main programs of the West Java Provincial Government so that they are widely known by the public.

"I hope participants take the UKW seriously so they can pass the exam and become journalists with official certification from the Press Council," he said.

Acting Chairman of the West Java PWI, Ahmad Syukri, said that the UKW is a strategic program to improve the competence of members while maintaining the quality of journalistic work.

According to him, the UKW aims to measure the professionalism of journalists, improve the quality of journalistic products, and strengthen the application of the Journalistic Code of Ethics in daily work practices.

"The main goal of the UKW is to maintain public trust and convince the public and sources that the information conveyed by journalists is valid, accurate, and accountable," said Ari, Ahmad Syukri's nickname.

He explained that the UKW also serves as a career evaluation tool for journalists and media companies. "The UKW can serve as a benchmark for media companies in assessing journalist competence, including in the promotion process, up to the position of editor-in-chief," he said.

In addition, UKW functions as a professional standard to protect journalists from abuse of authority and minimize violations of the code of ethics.

"The UKW also provides legal protection by ensuring journalists have a basic understanding of legal and ethical aspects when carrying out reporting duties in the field," he added.