Innovation in The Implementation of Islamic Education at SMA Muhammadiyah 3 Jakarta in The Implementation of The Independent Curriculum

Abstract

Islamic education must respond to technological developments and twenty-first-century competency demands while preserving students’ religious identity and character. The Merdeka Curriculum provides schools with the flexibility to develop contextual, differentiated, and technology-supported learning approaches aligned with their institutional characteristics. This study aimed to describe innovations in Islamic education implemented at SMA Muhammadiyah 3 Jakarta and examine their integration with the Merdeka Curriculum. A descriptive qualitative design was employed. Data were collected through field observations, document analysis, and reviews of official school information. Relevant curriculum documents, teaching modules, program reports, and educational activities were selected purposively. Data validity was ensured through source and technique triangulation, while data were analyzed through data condensation, thematic presentation, and conclusion drawing.The findings revealed that the school implemented a semester credit system, Tahfidz al-Qur’an classes, online learning programs, Moodle-based smart classrooms, and the Pancasila Student Profile Strengthening Project integrated with Islamic values. Religious habituation programs and community-based extracurricular activities complemented these academic innovations by strengthening discipline, responsibility, leadership, collaboration, and social awareness. Internationally oriented programs further supported students’ global competencies without compromising their Islamic identity. The study concluded that integrated curriculum flexibility, digital technology utilization, religious culture, and student development initiatives formed a holistic model of innovative Islamic education implementation in schools.