ABSTRACT
This study explores the Merdeka Curriculum's implementation in Indonesian science education, focusing on its flexibility and innovative teaching practices, alongside execution challenges. The guiding research question is: What opportunities does the Merdeka Curriculum offer for flexible and innovative teaching in science education, and what specific challenges hinder its effective implementation? Employing a qualitative methodology through a comprehensive literature review and content analysis of both primary and secondary data, the study reveals that while the curriculum enables educators to design learning experiences that are more responsive to local needs and global dynamics, key challenges persist in the form of an increased administrative burden, inadequate training support, and marked infrastructural disparities between regions. These challenges detrimentally affect teacher–student interactions and impede the realisation of the intended pedagogical innovations. Consequently, this study contributes to SDG 4 (Quality Education) by underscoring the need for strategic, collaborative efforts among all stakeholders to overcome these barriers and develop innovative strategies that fully harness the curriculum's potential to enhance overall educational quality.
