Freedom to learn, freedom to play: the following is the structure of the Merdeka curriculum at the early childhood education level

TIME.CO, Jakarta – Freedom Course or what is also called Merdeka Learning is poised to become a new curriculum in the 2023/2024 academic year.

Based on a policy issued by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology (Kemendikbut Ristek), the curriculum structure in the Merdeka Curriculum is based on three things, namely flexible competence-based learning and the character of Pancasila.

The following are some of the principles for developing independent curriculum structure that are applied at all levels of education:

1. Minimal structure

The minimum curriculum structure is determined by the central government. However, educational units can develop additional programs and activities in accordance with the vision, mission and available resources.

2. Autonomy

The curriculum gives independence to educational units and teachers to design relevant and contextual teaching processes and materials.

3. Simple

The changes from the previous curriculum were minimal, but still significant. Goals, direction of change, and design are made clear so schools and stakeholders can easily understand them.

4. Gotong Royong

The development of the curriculum and teaching tools are the result of the collaboration of dozens of institutions, including the Ministry of Religion, universities, schools and other educational institutions.

The Merdeka Curriculum does not only apply to elementary and high school equivalents but also to Early Childhood Education or PAUD. The following is the structure of the Merdeka Curriculum for PAUD level education:

Curriculum structure for early childhood education

Announcement

The structure of the curriculum in PAUD (TK/RA/BA, KB, SPS, TPA) is composed of:

1. Cross-curricular learning activities

Cross-curricular learning activities are designed so that children can achieve the skills contained in the learning outcomes. The essence of cross-curricular learning activities is meaningful play as the embodiment of “freedom to learn, freedom to play.” Therefore, the activities chosen must provide a fun and meaningful experience for the children.

Activities must also be supported by the use of real and existing learning resources in the child’s environment. Learning resources that are not actually available can be presented with the support of technology and children’s reading books.

2. The project to strengthen the profiles of Pancasila students

The Pancasila Student Profile Strengthening project aims to strengthen efforts to obtain a Pancasila student profile that references graduate competency standards (Child Development Level Standards for PAUD).

Strengthening the profile of the Pancasila student in PAUD is done in the context of celebrating local traditions, national and international holidays. The Pancasila student profile enhancement project was carried out using the time allocated for the PAUD activities.

Assignment of learning time in PAUD

1. PAUD ages 3–4: at least 360 minutes (6 hours) per week

2. PAUD age 4–6: at least 900 minutes (15 hours) per week

Ministry of Education and Culture

Editors’ Choice: Independent Curriculum, here is the structure for the elementary and middle school equivalent levels