Samarinda, February 27, 2026 — The Regional Agency for Language in East Kalimantan Province (a.k.a Language Agency) held an Indonesian Language Proficiency Improvement program, known locally as PKBI. It brought in elementary school teachers throughout Samarinda on Thursday, February 26, 2026. Asli Nuryadin, Head of the Agency of Education and Culture of Samarinda City, during the opening ceremony at SMA Negeri 10 Samarinda, appreciated the program and expected every participant to engage fully and bring these skills back to their classrooms and colleagues.
Asep Juanda, Head of the Language Agency, emphasized the program’s targeted design. It selected participants based on their schools’ National Assessment on literacy scores, prioritizing institutions with low to moderate results. The strategy aims to create a multiplier effect: equipped educators can directly influence classroom instruction and mentor peers.
The two-day training blended policy foundations with practical application. Day one, held in person, covered national language policy, the updated the fifth Enhanced Spelling System (EYD V), and core competencies in word choice, sentence construction, and paragraph development. Sessions were led by speakers including Asep Juanda, Ali Kusno, M. Erwin Darma, and Nurul Masfufah.
Friday’s virtual session shifted to classroom application on those core materials, with teachers analyzing and designing literacy-focused activities, and troubleshooting common student errors in written Indonesian. Interactive discussions allowed participants to deepen their understanding of language that supports learning in schools.
Over the coming months, participants will enter a structured mentoring program designed to support classroom implementation and peer collaboration. As part of the commitment, teachers will serve as designated “Language Agency Partners,” leading informal workshops and sharing resources with colleagues at their home schools. The Language Agency, via this ongoing collaboration, is optimistic that Indonesian language literacy and proficiency standards in Samarinda will significantly improve. (ak)
Translated by Muhammad Erwin Darma