Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education Strengthens Primary School Teachers' English Teaching Competencies
The Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education (Kemendikdasmen) has launched the Primary School Teacher English Teaching Competency Enhancement Programme (PKGSD-MBI) as an effort to strengthen teachers’ competencies in delivering effective and engaging English language learning.
Rachmadi Widdiharto, Director of Basic Education Teachers at Kemendikdasmen, stated that the programme serves as a collaborative learning space for teachers to continuously develop their competencies.
“We understand that for some teachers, teaching English may feel like a new challenge. However, I would like to encourage you all to view it not as an additional burden, but as an opportunity to grow alongside our students,” said Rachmadi in Jakarta on Wednesday.
He emphasised that teachers are fundamentally lifelong learners. When teachers continue to learn and build their capacity, he explained, classrooms become vibrant learning spaces for students.
Rachmadi further encouraged training participants to share best practices with their peers so that the benefits of the training could be felt more widely.
“Therefore, after completing this training, we hope that you will not only apply the knowledge you have gained in your respective classrooms, but also share best practices with your colleagues through Teacher Working Groups (KKG) or other professional forums. In this way, the benefits of the training will not be limited to today’s participants, but can reach more teachers and more students,” he said.
He explained that the PKGSD-MBI programme focuses on strengthening teachers’ competencies in two main areas: improving language proficiency and mastering pedagogy in primary school English teaching.
Through this approach, the ministry hopes that participants will not only understand the material theoretically, but will also be able to apply it directly in classroom practice.
As part of efforts to ensure equitable access to teacher competency enhancement, Kemendikdasmen also provides opportunities for primary school teachers who have not yet participated in the training to continue learning independently.
Teachers can access training materials through a Learning Management System (LMS) and study modules through the self-directed learning feature on the Rumah Pendidikan platform.
Through this programme, Kemendikdasmen hopes that increasing numbers of primary school teachers will have the competence and confidence to teach English.