Digital Governance for Sustainable Educational Transformation: Evaluating Merdeka Curriculum Implementation through PMO E-Instruments in Indonesia
Abstract
This study investigates the pivotal role of Project Management Office (PMO) e-instruments in evaluating the implementation of the Merdeka Curriculum (Merdeka Curriculum) within Indonesia's Driving School ‘Sekolah Penggerak’ program. The research was initiated by the critical need to ensure consistency and quality in curriculum application across diverse educational contexts, aligning with Indonesia's ongoing national educational transformation. Employing a descriptive qualitative-quantitative approach, the study involved four primary schools designated as Sekolah Penggerak, with principals and teaching staff engaging in structured assessments using the PMO e-instruments. Key findings indicated moderate performance in planning and instructional execution across most participating schools, while leadership practices demonstrated notable variability. Collaborative aspects of the curriculum, particularly project-based learning and community involvement, consistently exhibited stronger outcomes. Conversely, areas such as reflection, evaluation, and student-centered learning were identified as requiring further development. The PMO e-instrument proved to be an effective diagnostic and developmental tool, empowering school leaders to make evidence-based decisions for enhancing curriculum delivery. These findings underscore the profound importance of continuous capacity-building for school leaders to fully actualize the transformative goals of the Merdeka Curriculum. The diagnostic capability of the PMO e-instrument directly facilitates data-driven decision-making, which is a core objective of integrating such digital systems into educational management. This allows for precise identification of areas needing improvement. These findings underscore the importance of continuous capacity-building for school leaders to fully actualize the goals of the Merdeka Curriculum.
Keywords
Full Text:
PDFReferences
Ajayi, I. A., & Omirin, F. F. (2007). The Use of Management Information Systems (MIS) In Decision Making In The South-West Nigerian Universities. Educational Research and Review, 2(5), 109–116. http://www.academicjournals.org/ERR
Alshaibani, E., Bakir, A., & Al-Atwi, A. (2024). The impact of leadership behaviors on organizational innovative performance and learning in AI-driven Industry 5.0 environments. Development and Learning in Organizations: An International Journal, 39(3), 18–21. https://doi.org/10.1108/DLO-06-2024-0159
Ariani, D. W., & Prasetyo, A. R. (2021). School leadership and digital transformation: The case of Indonesian schools. International Journal of Educational Management, 35(7), 1359–1374. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJEM-10-2020-0471
Aryawan, I. W. (2019). Strategi Kepemimpinan Kepala Sekolah Di Era Revolusi Industri 4 . 0 Berlandaskan Pada Konsep Panca Upaya Sandhi. 5(2), 132–141.
Asep, A., Irani Z, U., & Mahmudi, M. A. (2023). Desain dan Implementasi Kurikulum Merdeka (1st ed.). Mifandi Mandiri Digital.
Belash, O., Popov, M., Ryzhov, N., Ryaskov, Y., & Shaposhnikov, S. (2015). Research on University Education Quality Assurance : Methodology and Results of Stakeholders ’ Satisfaction Monitoring. 214(June), 344–358. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2015.11.658
Bettin, S., Gatti, M., & Saccani, E. (2010). The Project Management Office in a Research Institute: A Case Study. International Journal of Project Management, 28(8), 819-829.
Breiter, A., & Light, D. (2006). Data for School Improvement: Factors for designing effective information systems to support decision-making in schools. Educational Technology & Society, 9(3).
BSKAP, K. (2022). Tahapan Implementasi Kurikulum Merdeka di Satuan Pendidikan. Kemendibudristek, 1–16. https://kurikulum.kemdikbud.go.id/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Tahapan-Implementasi-Kurikulum-Merdeka.pdf
Chen, Y., & Mo, Y. (2008). The role of project management office in project success. Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, 134(10), 780-788.
Cheng, Z., Jin, X., & Kwak, W. J. (2025). Using the new positive aspect of digital leadership to improve organizational sustainability: Testing moderated mediation model. Acta Psychologica, 255, 104963. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.ACTPSY.2025.104963
Corbett, F., & Spinello, E. (2020). Connectivism and leadership: harnessing a learning theory for the digital age to redefine leadership in the twenty-first century. Heliyon, 6(1), e03250. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2020.e03250
Creswell, J. W., & Creswell, J. D. (2018). A Mixed-Method Approach. In Writing Center Talk over Time. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429469237-3
de Oliveira Matias, J. C., & Coelho, D. A. (2011). Integrated total quality management: Beyond zero defects theory and towards innovation. Total Quality Management and Business Excellence, 22(8), 891–910. https://doi.org/10.1080/14783363.2011.593862
Fadillah, C. N., & Yusuf, H. (2022). Analisis Kurikulum Merdeka Dalam Satuan Pendidikan Anak Usia Dini. Jurnal Bunga Rampai Usia Emas, 8(2), 120. https://doi.org/10.24114/jbrue.v8i2.41596
Gouëdard, P., Pont, B., Hyttinen, S., & Huang, P. (2020). Curriculum reform: A literature review to support effective implementation. OECD Education Working Papers, No. 239. OECD Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1787/efe8a48c-en
Greene, J. C., Caracelli, V. J., & Graham, W. F. (1989). Toward a conceptual framework for mixed-method evaluation designs. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 11(3), 255-274.
Huber, S. G., & Helm, C. (2020). COVID-19 and schooling : evaluation , assessment and accountability in times of crises — reacting quickly to explore key issues for policy , practice and research with the school barometer. 237–270.
Idris, M. (2017). Pengaruh Kepemimpinan Kepala Sekolah dan Kompetensi Profesional Guru Terhadap Kinerja Guru SMK Al-Qolam Kota Agung Kabupaten Tanggamus. Uin Raden Intan Lampung. Journal of Chemical Information and Modeling, 53(9), 1689–1699.
Iivari, N., Sharma, S., & Ventä-Olkkonen, L. (2020). Digital transformation of everyday life – How COVID-19 pandemic transformed the basic education of the young generation and why information management research should care? International Journal of Information Management, 55(June), 102183. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijinfomgt.2020.102183
Indarta, Y., Jalinus, N., Waskito, W., Samala, A. D., Riyanda, A. R., & Adi, N. H. (2022). Relevansi Kurikulum Merdeka Belajar dengan Model Pembelajaran Abad 21 dalam Perkembangan Era Society 5.0. Edukatif : Jurnal Ilmu Pendidikan, 4(2), 3011–3024. https://doi.org/10.31004/edukatif.v4i2.2589
Johnson, R. B., & Onwuegbuzie, A. J. (2004). Mixed methods research: A research paradigm whose time has come. Educational Researcher, 33(7), 14-26.
Kemendikbudristek. (2022). Panduan pelaksanaan Program Sekolah Penggerak. Direktorat Jenderal PAUD, Pendidikan Dasar dan Menengah. https://sekolah.penggerak.kemdikbud.go.id
Lestari, H. P., & Gunawan, A. A. N. (2021). The use of technology in Indonesian K-6 education during COVID-19 pandemic. In Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on Education and Technology (ICET 2020) (pp. 1-7). SCITEPRESS. https://www.scitepress.org/Papers/2021/107529/107529.pdf
Martanti, F., & Gunawan, A. A. N. (2023). The role of digital transformation and innovation on organizational performance: An empirical study on Indonesian schools. Journal of Research Administration, 5(2), 1-14.
Miller, L. (2023). Supervision to Support Reflective Practices. Journal of Educational Supervision, 6(1), 1–18. https://doi.org/10.31045/jes.6.1.1
Munaf, Y., Ayu, R. P., Akmal, A., Iswandi, Efi, A., & Novaliendry, D. (2025). Transforming Music Education: Evaluating the Impact of the Merdeka Curriculum in Arts Education. Educational Process: International Journal, 14, e2025062. https://doi.org/10.22521/edupij.2025.14.62
Nasution, M. I., & Sari, N. (2023). Evaluation of digital monitoring tools in improving school quality assurance: Evidence from rural Indonesian schools. Asian Education and Development Studies, 13(1), 65-80.
Nordberg, T. H., & Andreassen, T. A. (2020). Challenging professional control? Reforming higher education through stakeholder involvement. Journal of Education and Work, 33(2), 169–183. https://doi.org/10.1080/13639080.2020.1737659
Nugroho, A., Wulandari, F., & Setyawan, R. (2021). Implementasi Kurikulum Merdeka pada Sekolah Penggerak di Indonesia: Studi Kasus Perubahan Paradigma Pembelajaran. Jurnal Inovasi Pendidikan, 17(2), 145–158.
Nurasiah, I., Marini, A., Nafiah, M., & Rachmawati, N. (2022). Nilai Kearifan Lokal: Projek Paradigma Baru Program Sekolah Penggerak untuk Mewujudkan Profil Pelajar Pancasila. Jurnal Basicedu, 6(3), 3639–3648. https://doi.org/10.31004/basicedu.v6i3.2727
Purwanti, A., & Wahyuni, S. (2020). The role of school principal leadership in curriculum implementation: A case of the Merdeka Belajar policy. Jurnal Kepemimpinan Pendidikan, 3(2), 45–59. https://doi.org/10.21009/JPKP.032.05
Qi, W., Zhang, Y., & Arshad, M. Z. (2025). Sustainable education in action: Principal leadership, teacher wellbeing, and altruism in the sports context. Acta Psychologica, 254, 104846. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.ACTPSY.2025.104846
Qutni, D., Kristiawan, M., & Fitriani, Y. (2021). Human Resource Management in Improving The Quality of Education. Edunesia : Jurnal Ilmiah Pendidikan, 2(2). https://doi.org/10.51276/edu.v2i2.132
Ragnarsdóttir, G. (2023). School leaders ’ actions and hybridity when carrying out reform and confronting teachers ’ responses : institutional and organisational perspectives. Education Inquiry, 14(1), 40–65. https://doi.org/10.1080/20004508.2021.1950272
Rahmawati, D. (2020). Peran Kepala Sekolah dalam Mendukung Guru Mengimplementasikan Kurikulum Berbasis Kompetensi. Jurnal Manajemen Pendidikan, 12(3), 233–245.
Reave, L. (2005). Spiritual values and practices related to leadership effectiveness. 16, 655–687. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.leaqua.2005.07.003
Robinson, V. M. J., Lloyd, C. A., & Rowe, K. J. (2008). The impact of leadership on student outcomes: An analysis of the differential effects of leadership types. Educational Administration Quarterly, 44(5), 635–674. https://doi.org/10.1177/0013161X08321509
Roesminingsih, E., & Sumbawati, M. S. (2022). Implementasi kepemimpinan pembelajaran untuk mewujudkan mutu sekolah. 5(2015), 77–86.
Rosmiati, R., Zakaria, U. I., Mauliana, L., & Suhartati, S. (2024). Siapkah Sekolah Penggerak PAUD Menerapkan Kurikulum Nasional 2025? Journal of Education Research, 5(3), 3772–3782. https://doi.org/10.37985/jer.v5i3.1108
Sagala, S., Siregar, M. N., & Manullang, S. O. (2021). Enhancing school performance through digital-based supervision. International Journal of Instruction, 14(4), 501–516. https://doi.org/10.29333/iji.2021.14429a
Sari, M. Y. (2021). Tantangan Implementasi Kurikulum Merdeka di Sekolah Dasar: Perspektif Guru dan Kepala Sekolah. Jurnal Pendidikan Dasar Nusantara, 8(1), 56–67.
Usman, N., & Murniati, A. R. (2021). Spiritual Leadership Management in Strengthening the Character of Students in Integrated Islamic Primary Schools. 526(Icream 2020), 421–427.
Usman, N., Abdurrahman, M., Niswanto, Zakaria, U. I., & Yusuf, Y. Q. (2023). Did quality of education exist during the COVID-19 pandemic? A study of integrated total quality management of high schools in Aceh, Indonesia. Cogent Education, 10(2). https://doi.org/10.1080/2331186X.2023.2282222
Utami, R., & Ramdhani, A. (2022). Kepemimpinan Transformasional dalam Implementasi Kurikulum Merdeka: Studi Empiris pada Sekolah Penggerak. Jurnal Kepemimpinan Pendidikan, 10(1), 78–90. https://doi.org/10.xxxx/jkp.v10i1.2022
Virella, P., & Cobb, C. (2022). Leader Developers: Perspectives of Mentor Principals in an Administrator Preparation Program. Journal of Educational Supervision, 5(3), 81–99. https://doi.org/10.31045/jes.5.3.4
Wiyono, B. B. (2018). The effect of self-evaluation on the principals’ transformational leadership, teachers’ work motivation, teamwork effectiveness, and school improvement. International Journal of Leadership in Education, 21(6). https://doi.org/10.1080/13603124.2017.1318960
Xu, Z., Wang, H., & Suntrayuth, S. (2022). Organizational Climate, Innovation Orientation, and Innovative Work Behavior: The Mediating Role of Psychological Safety and Intrinsic Motivation. Discrete Dynamics in Nature and Society, 2022. https://doi.org/10.1155/2022/9067136
Zuldesiah, Z., Gistituati, N., & Sabandi, A. (2021). Kontribusi Gaya Kepemimpinan dan Pelaksanaan Supervisi Kepala Sekolah terhadap Kinerja Guru-guru Sekolah Dasar. Jurnal Basicedu, 5(2), 663–671. https://doi.org/10.31004/basicedu.v5i2.791
Zulfikri. (2022). Projek Penguatan Profil Pelajar Pancasila. Projek Penguatan Profil Pelajar Pancasila, 138.
Refbacks
- There are currently no refbacks.