Evidence review: Implementation of Merdeka Curriculum in Indonesia

About The Report

This evidence review report, a collaboration between IDinsight and PSKP (Center for Education Standards and Policies), aims to assess the implementation of the Merdeka Curriculum, highlighting both positive progress and areas for improvement.

The Merdeka Curriculum was launched in 2022 and was approved as the National Curriculum through the Ministry of Education, Culture and Research (MoECRT) Regulation No. 12 of 2024. The Merdeka Curriculum aims to improve the quality of learning through improving student competence and character. This goal is operationalized through key components, such as baseline assessment to measure student competencies, differentiated learning approaches, and applied and collaborative learning through the Pancasila Learner Profile Strengthening Project (P5).

The report serves as a resource to support and enhance ongoing curriculum implementation efforts in Indonesia.

Our Approach

We reviewed global best practices in curriculum implementation and PSKP’s studies of Merdeka Curriculum implementation to compare the curriculum’s current state with global evidence on similar components.

Where available, we reference empirical evidence from studies that assess impact on learning outcomes. In cases where strong empirical data is lacking, we draw from case studies and lessons learned in other countries. We acknowledge, however, that Indonesia’s unique education landscape – characterized by its diverse geography, culture, and languages, as well as its decentralized system – means that not all global lessons can be directly applied.

Summary of Findings

 The review identified several strengths in the Merdeka Curriculum implementation, particularly in the areas of continuous professional development, collaborative processes in curriculum design, and use of differentiated learning/Teaching at The Right Level (TaRL) approach.

At the same time, Merdeka Curriculum implementation can be improved by reducing autonomy in areas that benefit more from rigorous, centralized intervention, providing structured training programs to schools with lower levels of readiness, improving implementation fidelity of the TaRL/differentiated learning approach, and strengthening understanding and implementation of Strengthening of Pancasila Student Profile Project (P5) as a project-based learning component.

Resources

Executive summaries of the report are available in both Indonesian and English, and the full report can be accessed in Indonesian.

We invite your comments, feedback, and reflections.