President Prabowo Subianto held a high-level meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee Palace in Paris today. Ahead of their formal discussions, President Prabowo highlighted the strategic importance of incorporating the French language into the Indonesian education system.
Emphasizing the need for a global perspective, President Prabowo announced his directive for schools across Indonesia to integrate French language learning into their curricula. He underscored this move as part of a broader commitment to strengthening educational cooperation between the two nations. “I have instructed that all levels of Indonesian schools should learn French, given the future developments of the world,” stated President Prabowo during his address at the Elysee Palace, as broadcast by the Presidential Secretariat on Wednesday (May 28).
During the visit, President Prabowo noted that the relationship between Indonesia and France is currently at its strongest point. He pointed to successful, ongoing collaborations in key sectors including defense, science, and technology as evidence of this robust partnership. Moving forward, the leaders are set to discuss a wide range of critical issues, including energy security, research initiatives, and the ongoing trade negotiations between Indonesia and the European Union.
To further stimulate economic growth and boost bilateral investment, the two nations intend to enhance their economic cooperation. A primary mechanism for this initiative will be the establishment of the France-Indonesia Business High Level Council. “This is important; we are pleased with the participation of French companies in the Indonesian economy,” Prabowo added.
This initiative reflects a broader vision for multilingual education in Indonesia. Notably, this is not the first time President Prabowo has advocated for the teaching of languages other than English. Following a meeting with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in October 2025, he previously requested that Indonesian schools also introduce Portuguese into their educational programs to better prepare students for an interconnected global landscape.
Summary
President Prabowo Subianto has directed Indonesian schools to integrate the French language into their curricula to better prepare students for an interconnected global landscape. During his visit to the Elysee Palace, he emphasized that this initiative reflects a broader commitment to strengthening educational and strategic cooperation between Indonesia and France.
This policy aligns with the President’s vision for multilingual education, following similar efforts to introduce Portuguese into Indonesian schools. Beyond education, the meeting focused on reinforcing bilateral partnerships in defense, technology, and economic growth, including the establishment of the France-Indonesia Business High Level Council to boost investment.
