Tenggarong, February 6, 2026 — Regional Agency for Language in East Kalimantan Province (Language Agency), under the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, launches the State Language Prioritization this week, which is targeting 15 educational institutions, in Tenggarong, Kutai Kartanegara Regency. It focuses to reinforce proper use of Indonesian in official documents and public spaces.
The initiative, which began on February 3, took place at State Junior High School 1 Tenggarong. To implements Ministerial Regulation No. 2 of 2025 on Supervision of Indonesian Language Use, teams conducted on-site assessments on February 4 to evaluate linguistic accuracy in those schools signage, administrative documents, and other visible communications—collectively referred to as linguistic landscapes.
Preliminary findings show modest progress: a small number of schools have begun correcting on linguistic landscapes. Mainly are starting to correct script styles and applying formal language rules to official materials.
The Language Agency encourages schools to incorporate elements of the Kutai language into school signages as part of cultural preservation efforts. However, it should based on the main principles: uphold Indonesian language, preserve the regional language, and master the foreign language.
The Language Agency emphasizes that gradual sustained improvement is the goal for 2026. While early adjustments are promising, the Language Agency stresses that long-term consistency in applying language standards remains the central challenge for educational institutions across the province.
“The 15 schools, from elementary to senior high level, are expected to become models in upholding the nation’s language identity while also driving preservation of regional language in Kutai Kartanegara,” said Asep Juanda, Head of Regional Agency for Language in East Kalimantan Province, during his visit to participating schools. (ak/abd)
Translated by Muhammad Erwin Darma