The Indonesian Language and Literature Education Study Program FKIP Universitas Muhammadiyah Surakarta (UMS) held a public lecture with the title “Kabastraya 4” (Study, Language, Literature, and Teaching) on July 5, 2022. The theme was the Independent Curriculum and its Potential Implications. The activity, which was attended by hundreds of students and lecturers, was held in response to the presence of the Independent Curriculum which has been implemented in schools. Changes in the curriculum in schools certainly change the content of the curriculum in LPTKs.
Dr. Rahayuningsih, Head of SMA Muhammadiyah 1 Surakarta who was the sole speaker at the event, stated that the Merdekan Curriculum has been implemented in his school as a driving school. The curriculum has advantages, among others, simpler and deeper, more independent, and more relevant and interactive.
The new curriculum should indeed have advantages compared to the previous curriculum which is believed to be able to improve the quality of graduates. The advantages of the curriculum in the form of new policies certainly encourage changes, both changes in mindset, learning tools, assessment models and so on. In fact, education practitioners are not always easy to follow these changes.
“Change the minister, change the curriculum” is often made by the community as a negative satire when facing a new curriculum. Changing the curriculum is considered a means of confirming the existence of the minister, as a policy that is inconsistent, does not have a road map, and some even consider schools as a field of policy testing.
“The phrase “change ministers change curriculum” needs to be interpreted positively, namely a mindset that actually thinks there needs to be a new policy if the minister is new. That mindset is in accordance with the principle of relevance in curriculum development. That the curriculum must always be adapted to the demands of the times, even must be able to anticipate future needs.
A positive mindset will foster an adaptive attitude, which is easy to adjust to circumstances. That attitude leads a person to always be open to change, it can even be a driver of change. An adaptive attitude encourages the emergence of behaviors that are currently needed, including: innovative, creative, collaborative, critical, and dynamic.
We need to cultivate an adaptive attitude by always updating information. New policies that are often socialized in the mass media or social media need to be followed intelligently, namely being smart in accessing, understanding and using information. Intelligence in dealing with information is the key to understanding change.
Ready to receive, understand and respond to new information is a form of adaptive attitude in welcoming the Independent Curriculum. At the very least, let us understand the following five new documents: (1) Permendikbudristek No. 4 of 2022, (2) Permendikbudristek No. 7 of 2022, (3) Kepmendikbudristek No. 56 of 2022, (4) Decree of the Head of BSKAP No. 008/H/ KR/2022 year 2022 and (5) Head of BSKAP Decree No 009/H/KR/2022 Year 2022.
Kabastraya 4 was held by the PBSI FKIP UMS Study Program in order to socialize the Independent Curriculum. Lecturers and students are encouraged to be adaptive to these changes. The Merdeka curriculum must immediately become a study material that colors lectures in preparing prospective teachers who are adaptive to change.
(published in Suara Merdeka edition of June 20, 2022 by Dr. Main Sufanti, M.Hum, lecturer of PBSI FKIP Universitas Muhammadiyah Surakarta)