Analisis Kebijakan Kurikulum Merdeka: Peluang dan Tantangan dalam Transformasi Pendidikan di Indonesia

Abstract

The Merdeka Curriculum is a national education policy designed to respond to the demands of 21st-century learning through a flexible, student-centered, and character-oriented approach. This article aims to analyze the opportunities and challenges of implementing the Merdeka Curriculum in supporting educational transformation in Indonesia. This study employs a qualitative descriptive approach using a literature review method, drawing on academic journals, official policy documents from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology, as well as empirical research findings related to the implementation of the Merdeka Curriculum. The results indicate that the Merdeka Curriculum has significant potential to improve learning quality, student engagement, creativity, and character development through the Project for Strengthening the Pancasila Student Profile. However, its implementation continues to face several challenges, particularly disparities in teacher readiness, limitations in educational infrastructure, and school organizational cultures that are not yet fully adaptive to change. This study concludes that the success of the Merdeka Curriculum largely depends on sustained policy commitment, equitable teacher professional development, and adequate systemic support to achieve inclusive and equitable educational transformation.