Language Politics and Education Justice: How Indonesia’s Bilingual Education Policy Affects Ethnic Minorities

Abstract

This paper explores the intersection of language politics and education justice in Indonesia, focusing on the impact of the country’s bilingual education policy on ethnic minority groups. Indonesia’s national language, Bahasa Indonesia, serves as the primary medium of instruction in schools, but the policy also supports the use of local languages in the early years of schooling in certain regions. This research examines how the bilingual education policy affects ethnic minorities, particularly in areas where indigenous languages are spoken. Through fieldwork in ethnically diverse regions, the study investigates how the implementation of the bilingual policy influences educational outcomes for students from ethnic minority backgrounds, who may face challenges in transitioning from their mother tongue to Bahasa Indonesia. Interviews with students, teachers, and parents provide insights into how language barriers impact learning, student engagement, and academic achievement. The findings suggest that while the bilingual policy helps preserve local languages, it may also create inequities by not providing sufficient support for students transitioning to the national language. The paper concludes by recommending improvements to the bilingual education policy, including better teacher training in multilingual pedagogy and greater support for local language preservation alongside national language proficiency.