Education and Regional Languages in Indonesia: Between Necessity, Indifference and Regret

This article presents the language and, in particular, educational policies implemented in Indonesia since 1945 with regard to regional languages. The rise of the national language, Indonesian (Bahasa Indonesia), to undisputed status, now spoken and understood by almost the entire population, has go...

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Main Author: Jérôme Samuel
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Université de Provence 2025-06-01
Series:Moussons
Subjects:
Online Access:https://journals.openedition.org/moussons/12514
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author Jérôme Samuel
author_facet Jérôme Samuel
author_sort Jérôme Samuel
collection DOAJ
description This article presents the language and, in particular, educational policies implemented in Indonesia since 1945 with regard to regional languages. The rise of the national language, Indonesian (Bahasa Indonesia), to undisputed status, now spoken and understood by almost the entire population, has gone hand in hand with a significant decline in the other indigenous languages of the archipelago, all of which have the status of regional languages. The prevailing attitude, both within educational structures and as expressed in normative texts, has been one of general indifference on the part of key stakeholders (educators, policymakers, politicians) toward regional languages. However, until the 1990s, this indifference, sometimes tinged with hostility, gradually shifted toward a more positive stance, marked by an increasing awareness of issues related to local identity, linguistic diversity, and the interests of children.
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spelling doaj-art-56dbed128b334feb9c46c8e602ca3edb2025-08-20T03:44:32ZengUniversité de ProvenceMoussons1620-32242262-83632025-06-0145618910.4000/147jpEducation and Regional Languages in Indonesia: Between Necessity, Indifference and RegretJérôme SamuelThis article presents the language and, in particular, educational policies implemented in Indonesia since 1945 with regard to regional languages. The rise of the national language, Indonesian (Bahasa Indonesia), to undisputed status, now spoken and understood by almost the entire population, has gone hand in hand with a significant decline in the other indigenous languages of the archipelago, all of which have the status of regional languages. The prevailing attitude, both within educational structures and as expressed in normative texts, has been one of general indifference on the part of key stakeholders (educators, policymakers, politicians) toward regional languages. However, until the 1990s, this indifference, sometimes tinged with hostility, gradually shifted toward a more positive stance, marked by an increasing awareness of issues related to local identity, linguistic diversity, and the interests of children.https://journals.openedition.org/moussons/12514educationIndonesialanguage policyMalayIndonesianregional languages
spellingShingle Jérôme Samuel
Education and Regional Languages in Indonesia: Between Necessity, Indifference and Regret
Moussons
education
Indonesia
language policy
Malay
Indonesian
regional languages
title Education and Regional Languages in Indonesia: Between Necessity, Indifference and Regret
title_full Education and Regional Languages in Indonesia: Between Necessity, Indifference and Regret
title_fullStr Education and Regional Languages in Indonesia: Between Necessity, Indifference and Regret
title_full_unstemmed Education and Regional Languages in Indonesia: Between Necessity, Indifference and Regret
title_short Education and Regional Languages in Indonesia: Between Necessity, Indifference and Regret
title_sort education and regional languages in indonesia between necessity indifference and regret
topic education
Indonesia
language policy
Malay
Indonesian
regional languages
url https://journals.openedition.org/moussons/12514
work_keys_str_mv AT jeromesamuel educationandregionallanguagesinindonesiabetweennecessityindifferenceandregret