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🇸🇬 Singapore /Culture & Society

Indonesia's plan for French lessons draws mixed reactions

From The Straits Times · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto's proposal to introduce French lessons in schools has met with mixed reactions from parents and education watchdogs.
  • Supporters see foreign language skills as valuable assets, while critics question the education sector's readiness and the prioritization of French over other languages.
  • The plan follows a similar suggestion to introduce Portuguese lessons, with the Ministry of Education currently reviewing the technical arrangements for French instruction.

Indonesia's President Prabowo Subianto's initiative to incorporate French language classes into the national school curriculum has sparked a debate, drawing both support and skepticism. While some parents view multilingualism as a crucial advantage in a globalized world, education watchdogs are raising concerns about the country's existing educational challenges.

learning an additional language beyond English is better than learning none at all. Who knows, it may help improve Indonesians’ competitiveness in a globalised world.

— AnnaA parent in Depok, West Java, expressed her support for introducing French lessons, viewing it as a valuable skill.

Anna, a mother from Depok, West Java, supports the idea of learning languages beyond English, calling it an "intangible asset." She believes additional language skills could enhance Indonesians' global competitiveness and potentially open doors for study or work in France. However, she questioned the specific choice of French, suggesting other languages might also be beneficial.

Similarly, Arief Fadhillah, a teacher in East Jakarta, acknowledged the potential benefits for students' skills and bilateral ties with France. Yet, he expressed doubts about the availability of qualified French teachers. Fadhillah suggested that offering French as an elective, based on individual school capacities, might be a more realistic approach.

French teachers are limited. It may be more realistic to offer French as an elective subject, depending on each school’s capacity, both in public and private schools.

— Arief FadhillahAn East Jakarta teacher voiced concerns about teacher availability and suggested a more flexible implementation of French lessons.

The proposal was first announced by President Prabowo during a joint press statement with French President Emmanuel Macron on May 28. Prabowo instructed Indonesian schools to introduce French to prepare the nation for "future global developments." The Government Communication Agency head stated that the Elementary and Secondary Education Ministry would handle the technical aspects. However, the Education and Secondary Education Minister indicated on June 4 that the instruction is "currently under review."

currently under review

— Abdul Mu’tiThe Education and Secondary Education Minister provided an update on the status of President Prabowo's instruction regarding French lessons.

This is not the first time Prabowo has proposed expanding foreign language education. In October 2025, following a meeting with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, he suggested adding Portuguese lessons to school programs. At that time, a deputy minister deemed the plan "certainly doable."

future global developments

— Prabowo SubiantoThe Indonesian President stated his reasoning for introducing French as a school subject.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by The Straits Times in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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