JAKARTA - The Language Development and Development Agency of the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education is intensifying the revitalization program for 120 regional languages throughout Indonesia to strengthen the nation's identity in the midst of globalization.
"Three of them have been revitalized in East Kalimantan, namely Kenyanese, Malay Kutai, and one Paser language. Then this year there is an addition, namely in Kaltara Bulungan and Tidung," said Head of East Kalimantan Language Center Asep Juanda in Samarinda, Friday.
Asep explained that under the auspices of the East Kalimantan Language Hall alone there are 27 regional languages spread across two provinces, with 16 languages in East Kalimantan and 11 languages in North Kalimantan.
This conservation effort targets the younger generation through the Mother Language Tunas Festival (FTBI), which packs the use of regional languages in various interesting competitions for elementary and junior high school students.
Students are invited to appreciate and become active speakers again through storytelling competitions, writing short, storytelling, to single comedy using their respective mother tongue.
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The Head of Language Development and Development of the Ministry of Education and Culture, Hafidz Muksin, stated that this revitalization program is a tangible manifestation of Tri Gatra Bangun Bahasa's slogan, namely "Regional Language Lecture".
The slogan goes hand in hand with the pillar of "Especial Indonesian Language", which is implemented through a massive literacy strengthening program throughout the archipelago.
The government has printed and distributed more than 21 million copies of quality reading books per year to be sent to low literacy-level schools.
This program has proven successful in increasing the literacy index in beneficiary schools based on national assessment data, and strengthened with assistance for 340 literacy communities in 2023.
At the same time, the third pillar, namely the internationalization of Indonesian, also shows brilliant achievements with the stipulation of Indonesian as the official language of the UNESCO general assembly.
In addition, Al-Azhar University in Egypt has also opened a special Indonesian language study program starting September 20, 2025, which signifies global recognition of the language of Indonesian unity.
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