A QUALITATIVE STUDY THROUGH TEACHERS' PERCEPTIONS OF MERDEKA CURRICULUM IN JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL

Abstrak

The purpose of this study was to find out how junior high school teachers perceive Merdeka Curriculum, which was launched by the Indonesian Ministry of Education and Culture and emphasizes flexibility and student character development through a project-based approach and formative evaluation. In this study, a qualitative approach was used. This case study involved six English teachers in public secondary schools that have implemented Merdeka Curriculum. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, as well as documentation of teaching modules and lesson plans. A thematic approach was used to analyse the data to find the main themes that emerged in the teachers' views. Research shows that although teachers understand the basics of Merdeka Curriculum, they face problems implementing it. This is mainly related to the lack of resources, lack of instruction, and technological limitations. Although academic test results have not shown significant changes, teachers also said that using project-based learning can increase student engagement. Although recognized as important, the use of formative assessments is still difficult. To effectively implement Merdeka Curriculum, this study suggests that training should be more concentrated and resources should be available. Despite some problems, Merdeka Curriculum has great potential to improve English language learning in junior secondary schools.