Indonesia's Garuda Schools Require All Teachers to Be Fluent in English

15 hours ago 8

February 3, 2026 | 04:21 pm

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – The Indonesian government has set a strict English proficiency requirement for teachers at Garuda schools, a flagship education program under President Prabowo Subianto.

According to Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Technology Brian Yuliarto, all teachers, regardless of subject, must be able to speak English fluently.

“This is an essential standard for anyone teaching at Garuda schools,” Brian said during a meeting at the House of Representatives (DPR RI) in Senayan, South Jakarta, on Tuesday, February 3, 2026.

He added that while English fluency is mandatory, initial teacher recruitment will still consider the quality of available candidates.

“We will assess existing human resources, and we believe there are still many subject teachers with strong English skills,” Brian said.

The Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology, which oversees Garuda schools, requires candidates to meet minimum English proficiency scores, including an IELTS score of 5.5, a TOEFL iBT score of 51, or a PTE Academic score of 45.4.

In addition, teachers must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.25 and demonstrate the ability to design, implement, and evaluate technology-based learning programs.

Candidates must also be willing to work in remote or under-served areas. Currently, four Garuda schools are under construction in East Belitung (Bangka Belitung), Konawe (Southeast Sulawesi), Bulungan (North Kalimantan), and Southeast Central Timor (East Nusa Tenggara).

The program is recruiting 96 educational staff, including operational and functional positions, 16 deputy principals, and four principals. Successful candidates through the government’s PPPK selection will be eligible to take the CPNS exam the following year.

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