ANALISIS KEBIJAKAN KURIKULUM MERDEKA DALAM MEWUJUDKAN PENDIDIKAN YANG RELEVAN DAN KONTEKSTUAL

Abstrak

Kurikulum sebelumnya dinilai terlalu padat konten dan kurang mampu mengakomodasi kebutuhan lokal maupun karakteristik peserta didik. Menanggapi hal tersebut, Kementerian Pendidikan, Kebudayaan, Riset, dan Teknologi (Kemendikbudristek) menginisiasi Kurikulum Merdeka sebagai kebijakan strategis yang menawarkan fleksibilitas pembelajaran dan penekanan pada penguatan karakter melalui Profil Pelajar Pancasila serta pendekatan pembelajaran berbasis proyek. Hasil kajian menunjukkan bahwa Kurikulum Merdeka memberikan ruang inovasi bagi guru dan sekolah, namun masih menghadapi kendala dalam implementasi, seperti kesenjangan kapasitas guru, keterbatasan fasilitas, dan pemahaman yang beragam terhadap konsep “merdeka belajar.” Kajian ini merekomendasikan penguatan kapasitas pendidik, penyediaan sarana pendukung, serta penyelarasan pemahaman antar pemangku kepentingan agar Kurikulum Merdeka dapat diimplementasikan secara optimal dan berkelanjutan.

The previous curriculum was considered too content-intensive and unable to accommodate local needs and the characteristics of students. In response, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology (Kemendikbudristek) initiated the Merdeka Curriculum as a strategic policy that offers learning flexibility and an emphasis on strengthening character through the Pancasila Student Profile and a project-based learning approach. The results of the study show that Merdeka Curriculum provides room for innovation for teachers and schools, but still faces obstacles in implementation, such as gaps in teacher capacity, limited facilities, and a diverse understanding of the concept of “independent learning.” This study recommends strengthening the capacity of educators, providing supporting facilities, and harmonizing understanding between stakeholders so that the Merdeka Curriculum can be implemented optimally and sustainably.