Jakarta. The Ministry of Education is reviewing the possibility of teaching Portuguese in schools, alongside other foreign languages, as part of broader plans to expand language education.

Primary and Secondary Education Minister Abdul Mu’ti said the government is currently studying which foreign languages could be introduced beyond the mandatory teaching of English.

“We are conducting internal studies on foreign language learning, not only Portuguese, because there are many foreign languages,” Mu’ti told reporters at the Parliament Complex on Wednesday.

At present, English remains the only compulsory foreign language in schools. Mu’ti noted that Portuguese could be added in the coming years, depending on teacher readiness and the availability of educational infrastructure.

“It will very much depend on the readiness of teachers and facilities,” he said. “For now, the scheme remains that foreign languages beyond English are optional.”

The initiative follows an announcement by President Prabowo Subianto during a bilateral meeting with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva at Jakarta’s Merdeka Palace on Oct. 23. Prabowo said introducing Portuguese, a language spoken by over 200 million people in Brazil, into Indonesian schools would strengthen ties between the two nations.

“As a sign of how important we view Brazil, I have prioritized making Portuguese one of the key languages taught in schools,” Prabowo said during the meeting.

Following the announcement, Prabowo tasked Mu’ti and Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Technology Brian Yuliarto with developing curricula to introduce Portuguese in schools and universities nationwide.

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