SCHOOL PRINCIPAL LEADERSHIP IN PROMOTING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF MERDEKA CURRICULUM IN ISLAMIC EDUCATION SUBJECTS
KEPEMIMPINAN KEPALA SEKOLAH DALAM MENDORONG IMPLEMENTASI KURIKULUM MERDEKA PADA MATA PELAJARAN PAI
Keywords:
school principal leadership, Merdeka Curriculum, Islamic Education, cur-riculum implementation, educational leadershipAbstract
This study examines the leadership role of school principals in facilitating the implementation of the Merdeka Curriculum in Islamic Education (PAI) subjects across Indonesian schools. Using a qualitative approach with data collected from 15 schools through interviews, observations, and doc-ument analysis, the research explores how effective leadership strategies contribute to successful curriculum implementation. Findings reveal that principals who demonstrate transformational leadership qualities, create supportive organizational cultures, facilitate continuous professional devel-opment, and employ collaborative decision-making processes achieve more effective implementation of the Merdeka Curriculum in PAI subjects. The study identifies key leadership practices that empower PAI teachers to embrace the student-centered learning approaches, project-based as-sessments, and character development emphasis that characterize the Merdeka Curriculum. This research contributes to understanding the criti-cal intersection between educational leadership and curriculum reform, particularly in the context of religious education in Indonesia's evolving educational landscape.
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