Immediacy of Teaching English at Elementary Schools in Indonesia

This case study investigates stakeholder perceptions of English teaching in Indonesian elementary schools (ES), emphasizing its urgency and challenges. Focus group discussions with teachers, principals, local education authorities, and parents revealed strong support for mandatory English instruction at ES. However, stakeholders identified systemic barriers, including shortages of qualified teachers, inconsistent curriculum, and inadequate resources. The study urges policymakers to replace laissez-faire language education policy with a clear national policy, coupled with systemic investments in teacher training, equitable resource allocation, and multilingual curricula that can balance globalization needs with linguistic diversity preservation.