The 2027 Mandatory English Policy for Indonesian Elementary School: Teacher Distress Beyond Disciplinary Expertise-A Mixed-Methods Critical Policy Analysis

Abstract

Indonesia's policy mandating English as a compulsory subject in elementary schools has undergone significant transformations over the past two decades, yet limited research has centered on EFL teachers' critical perspectives regarding implementation challenges and concerns. This critical literature review examines (1) the novelty of research centering teacher voices in policy analysis, (2) significant research gaps in understanding implementation barriers from practitioners' standpoints, and (3) substantive contributions to knowledge about policy-practice misalignment. Through systematic analysis of 85+ peer-reviewed studies published between 2015-2025, this review identifies eight critical research gaps, with teacher agency and voice emerging as the most neglected dimension (95% priority gap). Findings reveal that teacher concerns about mandatory policies cluster into eight categories: inadequate training (72%), overcrowded classrooms (68%), insufficient resources (65%), low student motivation (61%), testing pressure (58%), cultural-linguistic tensions (55%), inadequate professional support (52%), and inequality of access (49%). The review argues that mandatory English policies, while intended to enhance global competitiveness, paradoxically intensify existing inequalities and create unintended negative consequences insufficiently documented in literature. Critical implications include the necessity of teacher-centered policy revision, equity-focused implementation strategies, and fundamental reconsideration of the mandatory approach itself. This study provides evidence that sustainable English education requires moving beyond top-down mandates to embrace teacher expertise and contextual realities.