Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara. Indonesia will introduce English as a compulsory subject for elementary school students beginning in the 2027 academic year, the government announced on Sunday.

Although English has long been taught informally or as an additional subject in many Indonesian schools, public schools have generally treated it as a mandatory subject only from junior high school onward.

However, Primary and Secondary Education Minister Abdul Mu'ti said the government plans to introduce English instruction at an earlier stage of education.

“Starting in 2027, English will become a mandatory subject beginning from the third grade of elementary school,” Abdul Mu’ti said during a visit to East Lombok in West Nusa Tenggara province.

He said the ministry is currently preparing various supporting measures to ensure the policy can be implemented nationwide, including large-scale English training programs for elementary school teachers.

“We are now preparing how the program can be implemented through English-language training for elementary school teachers,” Abdul said.

The policy is part of the government’s broader effort to improve education quality and equip students with 21st-century skills from an early age, he added.

“With earlier English proficiency, Indonesian students are expected to become more competitive on the global stage,” he said.

Abdul added that developing human resources, particularly teacher readiness, remains the government’s top priority before the policy is rolled out nationally.

“The training will be provided gradually to elementary school teachers across Indonesia,” he said.

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