Bali Regulation Reshapes Local-Wisdom and Balinese-Language Lessons in Early Grades

Denpasar — — A new provincial regulation on local content is reshaping how Balinese language and local wisdom are taught in Bali’s schools, with the biggest shift in the early years of primary education. Teachers in Denpasar are revising lesson plans, materials and teaching methods to align with Pergub Bali No. 7 of 2026, which separates Bahasa Bali and Balinese local wisdom into two standalone subjects.

According to reports by NusaBali.com, the regulation on the implementation of local-content subjects in formal and community-based education requires schools in Bali to offer two main local-content subjects: Bahasa Bali, covering language, script and literature, and Kearifan Lokal Bali, focusing on Balinese local wisdom. These reports state that, under previous arrangements, Bahasa Bali was taught from Grade 1 to Grade 6 in primary schools.

Following the introduction of a dedicated Balinese local-wisdom subject, learning in Grades 1 and 2 is now directed primarily toward local wisdom. NusaBali.com notes that material previously taught as Bahasa Bali in Grades 1 and 2 will be shifted to Grade 3 or integrated into the new local-wisdom subject.

The change is part of a broader effort by the provincial government to strengthen both Balinese language and cultural values in the education system, supported by curriculum guidelines that divide local content into Bahasa Bali and Kearifan Lokal Bali with minimum weekly teaching hours.

What changes for each grade

NusaBali.com reports that the adjustment does not remove Bahasa Bali from primary education but redistributes content and introduces additional local-wisdom material. In Grades 1 and 2, students receive more instruction on Balinese local wisdom, including values and everyday cultural knowledge, while some language-based content moves to Grade 3 and some is taught in an integrated format with local wisdom.

Other coverage of Pergub Bali No. 7 of 2026 by Balipost and Pawartajatim explains that, at the primary level, local wisdom is introduced from Grade 1 and Grade 2 through thematic approaches, while structured Bahasa Bali lessons start from Grade 3. These articles also highlight that all formal schools in Bali are required to teach both Bahasa Bali and Balinese local wisdom with at least two hours per week for each subject, using Bahasa Bali as the primary language of instruction.

Education officials and commentators quoted in these reports describe the regulation’s purpose as preserving and developing Balinese language and local wisdom, and strengthening students’ identity and character. They also note that local wisdom in the curriculum is expected to include values such as Sad Kerthi, customs, traditions and environmental awareness.

Teachers asked to redesign materials

NusaBali.com describes how Bahasa Bali teachers in Denpasar are being encouraged to respond creatively to the new structure by adjusting their teaching devices, learning materials and classroom strategies. Teachers are urged to analyse the new curriculum, review learning objectives and sequences, and develop modules and teaching materials that reflect the separation between Bahasa Bali and Balinese local wisdom and the stronger emphasis on local wisdom in the early grades.

Coverage of the regulation by regional education authorities and local media indicates that schools are expected to turn provincial curriculum resources into practical classroom tools, including textbooks, modules and other learning media, rather than relying solely on initial materials from the provincial government. Officials also stress the need for teaching approaches that foster deep learning, in which students not only understand content but can apply and reflect on Balinese language and cultural values in everyday life.

Digital teaching and classroom practice

NusaBali.com reports that Denpasar teachers are being encouraged to use information technology to make Bahasa Bali and local-wisdom lessons more engaging. Teachers are asked to improve their ability to design and present digital content, so that Balinese language and culture can be taught through formats that appeal to students in urban schools.

Other articles on the implementation of Pergub Bali No. 7 of 2026 note that the curriculum is intended to connect classroom learning with community-based education such as pasraman, traditional villages and cultural groups, further embedding Balinese language and local wisdom in students’ daily environments.

For families, this means children in the first two years of primary school are likely to encounter more local customs, cultural knowledge and environmental themes through the local-wisdom subject, while some formal language content appears later or is delivered in an integrated fashion from Grade 3 onward.

Sources

• NusaBali.com – "Bahasa Bali Naik Kelas, Guru Dituntut Kreatif"
• Balipost.com – "Pergub No. 7 Tahun 2026 Perkuat Bahasa Bali dan Kearifan..."
• Pawartajatim.com – "Pergub Baru Perkuat Pembelajaran Bahasa dan Kearifan Lokal di Bali"
• Limaklik.com – "Pergub Bali Nomor 7 Tahun 2026: Penguatan Mata Pelajaran..."
• Disdikpora Buleleng – "Disdikpora Buleleng Dukung Implementasi Mata Pelajaran Muatan Lokal di Bali"