Kajian Kritis Kurikulum Merdeka dalam Perspektif Pendidikan Islam: Antara Fleksibilitas, Sekularisasi, dan Transformasi Pembelajaran

Abstract

The Merdeka Curriculum was introduced to address the challenges of 21st-century education through adaptive learning, character development, and student-centered instruction. However, its implementation still faces various conceptual and practical problems, particularly from the perspective of Islamic education. This study critically examines the Merdeka Curriculum based on curriculum development theory and Islamic educational principles related to faith, knowledge, and practice. The research employed a qualitative approach using a library research method. Data were collected from books, accredited national journals, educational regulations, and recent studies on the implementation of the Merdeka Curriculum. Data analysis involved data reduction, thematic classification, critical interpretation, and argumentative synthesis. The findings reveal that the Merdeka Curriculum conceptually offers potential in constructivist approaches, learning flexibility, differentiated instruction, and character strengthening through the Pancasila Student Profile. Nevertheless, its implementation still encounters challenges such as disparities in teacher competence, pseudo-decentralization, ambiguous pedagogical concepts, and rational-instrumental approaches that may increase educational secularization. From the Islamic education perspective, the curriculum has not fully integrated spiritual values with scientific development, indicating the need for a reconstructed educational paradigm integrating faith, knowledge, and practice.