<![CDATA[This article investigates how Arabic and English are ideologically valued, institutionally managed, and selectively practiced in three Indonesian Islamic secondary schools. Three principals, three curriculum coordinators, six language teachers, and three students took part in semi-structured interviews. Observations and school documents supported triangulation. English was primarily associated with communication, academic mobility, technology, and confidence, whereas Arabic was associated with religious literacy, kitab learning, and Islamic identity. Implementation occurred through differentiated programs rather than equivalent formal policy structures: English through speaking, presentations, dialogues, and clubs; Arabic through mufrodat (vocabulary), muhadasah (conversation practice), kitab study, and religious or public-school activities. Indonesian remained the main language for explanation and informal interaction, so the observed ecology was selectively bilingual rather than immersive. Challenges included low confidence, English pronunciation anxiety, vocabulary, and grammar demands in Arabic. Schools should define program ownership, align each language’s functions with realistic routines, monitor equitable opportunities for meaningful use in bilingual policy planning, and consider Islamic identity.]]>
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