Dual Policy Convergence in Madrasah: Implementation of Merdeka Curriculum through the Hybrid Value-Based Model (MIKM-HBN)

Abstract

The implementation of the Merdeka Curriculum in Islamic elementary schools (madrasah ibtidaiyah) presents a distinctive structural complexity: the simultaneous obligation to comply with two separate regulatory systems from the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Religious Affairs. This complexity has not been systematically examined in existing literature on Islamic education policy in Indonesia. This qualitative single-case study aimed to analyze the implementation of the Merdeka Curriculum policy at Madrasah Ibtidaiyah Negeri 8 Peukan Bada, Aceh Besar, identify patterns of dual policy convergence, analyze facilitating and inhibiting factors, and construct an appropriate implementation model for value-based Islamic educational institutions. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with five informant groups, participatory observation, and document analysis. The analytical framework integrated William N. Dunn's grand theory of public policy, Edward III's and Grindle's middle theories of policy implementation, and Burns and Bass's transformational leadership theory. Four principal findings emerged. First, the P5RA project was the most successfully implemented dimension, with its impact concretely felt by all stakeholders. Second, the two policy systems converged in a complementary-harmonious manner. Third, transformational leadership of the principal functioned as an essential mediating variable. Fourth, the Islamic cultural identity of the Acehnese community served as an implementation accelerator. The study's novelty lies in the construction of the Hybrid Value-Based Merdeka Curriculum Implementation Model (MIKM-HBN) — the first model to simultaneously integrate dual policy input, transformational leadership as a mediator, a modified Edward III framework with religious value dimensions, and local context as a strategic asset.