Opinion: Reaping Pros and Cons on Changes to the Learning Curriculum

The learning curriculum is one of the important factors that influence the activity and quality of learning, because this curriculum serves as the learning material or the reference for teaching. This year, the government is trying out the implementation of a new curriculum, namely the Merdeka Belajar (Independent Learning) curriculum.

The Merdeka curriculum is a curriculum with diverse intracurricular learning in which the content will be more optimal so that learners have enough time to explore concepts in depth and strengthen competencies.

Teachers have the freedom to choose from various teaching tools so that learning can be adapted to learners' learning needs and interests. Projects to strengthen the achievement of the Pancasila learner profile are developed based on certain themes set by the government. These projects are not directed at achieving specific learning outcome targets, so they are not tied to the content of subjects.

There are many pros and cons regarding the decision on this curriculum.

Yes, the curriculum really must change. Why? Of course, in order to answer the challenges of the times. A curriculum cannot be used continuously for one period, because the world keeps changing. So the world of education, as the main pillar in building and educating generations, must also change.

With the implementation of the Merdeka curriculum, which develops certain projects, in those projects students work on projects in groups to achieve the Pancasila learner profile. However, there are many posts circulating on social media of a student complaining about the learning curriculum in Indonesia. The reason is that the curriculum, which keeps being replaced, is not effective. Some students may be able to follow it well, but most complain that, with the change of curriculum, students have to start adapting again to the new curriculum.

The education curriculum must be dynamic, which means it can be changed in line with changes and developments in culture and the times, besides keeping up with the times while being adapted to the geographical environment. The curriculum is dynamic and continues to be developed or adapted according to the context and needs of learners to build competencies suited to the present and the future.

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