Implementation of the Merdeka Belajar Curriculum to Enhance Students’ Creativity at Vocational High School

Abstract

The Merdeka Belajar Curriculum was introduced to provide greater flexibility in the learning process, with a strong emphasis on fostering students’ creativity. This study aims to exlore how the Merdeka Belajar Curriculum enhances students’ creativity in Islamic Religious Education (PAI) learning at SMK Harapan Bangsa Panti, Pasaman, and to provide recommendations for further improvement.

This research employs a descriptive qualitative approach, with data collected through observation, interviews, and documentation. The key informants include PAI teachers and Grade XI TP students. The findings reveal that well-structured planning, systematic implementation using Project-Based Learning (PjBL) and Team-Based Learning (TBL), as well as continuous evaluation, successfully enhance students’ creativity in PAI learning. The use of innovative learning media also contributes significantly to increasing student participation and engagement.

This study provides important insights into Islamic Religious Education at the vocational level, offering recommendations for improving teacher training, utilizing more varied instructional media, and implementing more integrated evaluation systems to further support the development of students’ creativity.