The Effect of The Disappearance of Mulok Subject on The Preservation of Local Languages at SDN 5 Suwawa

By: Annisa Dwi Putri Anwar; Supervised by: Muziatun, S.Pd, M.App. Ling, PhD

Muatan Lokal is referred to as Mulok. In Indonesia, the field of education is referred to by this abbreviation frequently. According to Khuluqo and Istaryatiningtias (2022: 261), in their book Curriculum Development Management Learning Module, muatan local refers to a subject's content that develops regional potential as part of attempts to raise the standard of education in madrasas and schools. The development of regional potential, particularly in terms of local language development, is the aim of muatan lokal itself. Indonesian local language is a treasure that has to be conserved in the community and in educational settings. 

Mulok subjects in schools are one way that native languages are preserved in young people. However, mulok courses have been dropped after the curriculum was changed to the Merdeka curriculum. This illness may have an impact on the local languages' ability to survive in educational settings. The reason for this is that elementary, junior high, and high school students started to use their native tongues less frequently in the millennial era---some of them even lost track of their native tongues. Instead of using the native tongues, students would rather utilise a combination of English and slang with Indonesian in daily interactions. There is concern that this could lead to a language's extinction. 

It is one of the schools in Gorontalo that no longer offers mulok, particularly at SDN 5 Suwawa. Nonetheless, elementary school teachers employ several strategies to ensure that the Gorontalo dialect is maintained and does not become extinct. The Gorontalo language is one of the regional tongues that is on the verge of extinction because its native speakers are either too old to teach or have vanished altogether. 

The Effect of the Loss of Mulok Subjects on the Frequency of Use of Local Languages by Students

The local language of Gorontalo is becoming less and less used by pupils at SDN 5 Suwawa since the mulok subject was dropped from the Merdeka curriculum. Teachers at this school are still working to reinstate the mulok subject in the Merdeka curriculum, nonetheless. One of the instructors at SDN 5 Suwawa, Katrina Kadir Eyato S.Pd., has experience with Gorontalo language and culture. She places a great importance on the preservation of local culture, particularly Gorontalo tradition. "Kami sebagai guru berupaya walaupun dalam merdeka belajar, kami akan berusaha agar pembelajaran mulok ini tetap diaktifkan kembali", she said on Wednesday (8/5/2024) at SDN 5 Suwawa, Bone Bolango, Gorontalo.

The Effect of the Loss of Mulok Subjects on the Decline of Student Interest in Local Languages

The language that pupils are least interested in is gorontalo. The majority of pupils at SDN 5 Suwawa are Gorontalo natives in terms of population status. Their curiosity in their native tongue has, nevertheless, substantially diminished. For instance, when the instructor performs musical pieces in Gorontalo, the pupils enquire about the song's translation. "Hanya ada satu atau dua orang di kelas saya yang mengerti bahasa Gorontalo, bahkan saat saya menyanyikan lagu Gorontalo, anak-anak sering bertanya ibu apa itu longgongo dan kambungu", Katrina said.

School Efforts to Overcome the Impact of the Loss of Mulok Subjects on the Preservation of Local Languages

There is no doubt that the school works hard to keep the pupils speaking in the native tongue. The principal of SDN 5 Suwawa, Sri Wahyuni Lahay S.Pd., underlined that pupils must speak Gorontalo from the moment they arrive till they leave the school every Thursday. The purpose of this policy is to teach kids the value of speaking the native tongue. 

The Disappearance of Mulok Subjects is not One of the Causes of the Decline in Students' Ability to Speak Local Languages

The language that students use for communication at home is the primary cause of the reduction in their proficiency in speaking local languages. The ability of students to speak the native tongue is dependent upon family communication. "Biasanya di rumah ketika orang tua bertanya pakai bahasa gorontalo pada anak, namun anak menjawab dengan bahasa Indonesia, apabila anak-anak mejawab dengan bahasa Gorontalo kemungkinan kemampuan berbahasa Gorontalo mereka akan meningkat dan nanti dapat menjadi tutor dimasa depan", Katrina said. pupils' proficiency in Gorontalo will rise if families and pupils speak the language on a regular basis. Thus, the primary reason for the decrease in students' proficiency in speaking their native tongues is not the elimination of mulok topics.

In conclusion, it is critical to conserve native languages starting at a young age. the necessity of local language usage in daily life being promoted by the community, family, and educational institutions. Not only are local languages taught in mulok disciplines, but they may be learnt anywhere. Local languages are not going extinct because of the loss of mulok subjects.