Critique of the Ideology of the Arabic Language Curriculum in Indonesia: A Philosophical Analysis and Its Relevance to the Merdeka Curriculum

Abstract

This study aims to critically examine the ideological foundations of the Arabic language curriculum in Indonesia and its relevance within the Merdeka Curriculum framework. The research employs a qualitative approach using Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) combined with a philosophical perspective. Data were collected through document analysis of curriculum texts, textbooks, and educational policies. The findings reveal that the Arabic curriculum is still dominated by a traditional paradigm emphasizing grammatical and textual aspects, which limits the development of communicative competence and critical thinking skills. Philosophically, the curriculum reflects essentialist and perennialist orientations that are not fully aligned with the principles of the Merdeka Curriculum. Therefore, curriculum reconstruction is necessary to promote a more adaptive, communicative, and competency-based approach to meet the demands of 21st-century learning.

Keywords: curriculum ideology, Arabic language, critical discourse analysis, Merdeka Curriculum, critical pedagogy