Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Education, Culture, Research, and Technology Ministry drew attention to the increasing demand among several educational units in Indonesia for implementing the Merdeka (Independent) Curriculum.

Ministry's Acting Director of Community Education and Special Education, Aswin Wihdiyanto, stated here on Monday that 306,995 educational units at all levels have registered and are ready to apply the Merdeka Curriculum.

"The Merdeka Curriculum is one of the ministry's efforts in solving the learning crisis," he affirmed.

Wihdiyanto explained that the Merdeka Curriculum comes with a more flexible learning method, with focus on essential materials, character development, and learning competencies.

According to Wihdiyanto, the Merdeka curriculum can support Indonesian students' learning, along with the Merdeka Mengajar (Independent in Teaching), part of the 15th episode of the Merdeka Belajar (Independent in Learning) platform.

The Merdeka curriculum was first manifested in schools as mobilizers of change (sekolah penggerak) and vocational high schools as the centers of excellence program.

There were 2,491 schools of mobilizers and 901 vocational high schools that became centers of excellence that implemented the curriculum in the 2021-2022 academic year.

As of 2023, the ministry said 306,995 schools had already implemented the Merdeka Curriculum, either independently or through the mobilizer school and the center of excellence programs.

Furthermore, he said the Merdeka Curriculum is inclusive, as it not only focuses on formal education but also non-formal education, especially for persons with disabilities in eastern Indonesia or rural areas.

The curriculum also encourages schools that depend on the internet to also balance it with face-to-face methods and the use of printed books apart from the utilization of high-tech devices.

The Merdeka curriculum focuses on essential materials, so that students are no longer burdened with gigantic achievement targets and go through the learning process as per their needs.

Related news: Merdeka Belajar can respond quickly to change: expert
Related news: Expect advocacy to help tackle PAUD, SD misconceptions: ministry
Related news: 172 vocational matching fund proposals approved in 2022: minister


Translator: Sugiharto P, Kenzu
Editor: Sri Haryati
Copyright © ANTARA 2023