DPR members: French language mandate cannot be applied uniformly to all schools

JAKarta - DPR Commission X member Lemia Hanifa has reminded that Indonesian schools cannot be treated uniformly when it comes to mandatory French language instruction, as per President Prabowo Subianto’s directive. Hanifa explained that each school’s ability to provide foreign language teaching varies based on the availability of human resources, particularly teachers. ‘We cannot mandate all schools to study a specific language because human resources are limited,’ she said on Saturday (30 May 2026). The policy is being implemented as not all schools have teachers for the same foreign language. She cited examples of schools with Chinese, Japanese, or Korean language teachers but not necessarily French. ‘Therefore, each school has different conditions,’ said the Prosperous Justice Party politician. However, Hanifa emphasised that the more pressing issue is not which foreign language to teach, but the availability of teachers. ‘The number of foreign languages taught depends on human resources. We also give schools and students the freedom to choose what they want to learn,’ she said. ‘The main challenge is that we do not have enough foreign language teachers to be placed in schools, especially in underdeveloped regions,’ she added. Previously, President Prabowo Subianto stated that he has instructed all levels of Indonesian schools to learn French. He made the remarks after meeting French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris on Thursday (28 May 2026). ‘Now, I have instructed all Indonesian schools to study French, considering future global developments,’ Prabowo said. He added that the move is part of efforts to strengthen Indonesia’s ties with France. Previously, he had also encouraged Portuguese to be a priority in Indonesia’s education system to strengthen ties with Brazil.