Independent Curriculum in the Perception of Indonesian Language Teachers of Smp/Mts in Yogyakarta

Abstract

The background of this research was the condition of education in the 21st century after the COVID-19 pandemic, which impacted learning loss. In response, the government was attempting to evaluate and restore learning. One example was the implementation of the Independent Curriculum, which was currently being implemented in several schools and had the potential to be implemented nationally in 2024. This study aimed to discover how teachers, particularly Indonesian language teachers at SMP/MTs, perceived the Independent Curriculum. This study used the descriptive approach. Data collection used included observation, interviews, and questionnaires with 15 Indonesian teachers at SMP/MTs in Yogyakarta as respondents. The results showed that teachers' perceptions of the Independent Curriculum were in the "medium" category, with a total percentage of 66.7%. This category showed a fairly good perception of Indonesian SMP/MTs teachers in Yogyakarta regarding projection, implementation, and self-readiness to implement the Merdeka curriculum in school learning.