STUDI PERBANDINGAN KURIKULUM MERDEKA DAN KURIKULUM 2013 DALAM BUKU BAHASA INDONESIA KELAS IX

Abstract

This study is motivated by the differences in the implementation of the Merdeka Curriculum and the 2013 Curriculum in Indonesian language learning, particularly in the Grade IX student textbooks. Curriculum changes that occur over time often create confusion for teachers and students in understanding the material, learning objectives, and the way content is presented in the classroom. This condition encourages the need for a deeper study of the implementation of both curricula in order to provide a clear and easily understood overview. The main focus of this research is to examine the differences and similarities between the Merdeka Curriculum and the 2013 Curriculum in Grade IX Indonesian language textbooks, viewed from the aspects of material structure, learning approaches, and the development of students’ language skills. The method used in this research is a descriptive qualitative method with content analysis techniques applied to the textbooks used in both curricula. The data are analyzed systematically to identify patterns, characteristics, and the strengths of each curriculum. The results show that the Merdeka Curriculum emphasizes flexible, student-centered learning, as well as strengthening the Pancasila student profile. The materials presented tend to be more contextual and relevant to daily life, providing opportunities for students to think critically and creatively. Meanwhile, the 2013 Curriculum has a more systematic and structured design, emphasizing core and basic competencies that must be achieved by students. In terms of presentation, the Merdeka Curriculum textbooks are simpler and less dense, making them easier to understand. In contrast, the 2013 Curriculum textbooks are more detailed and dense, but offer broader and deeper content coverage for learners.