Efl Teachers’ Perceptions Toward The Implementation Of Merdeka Curriculum In Junior High Schools In Jayapura Municipality

Curriculum is one of essentials aspect in education. Curriculum changes in Indonesia have occurred twelve times since 1947. However, the changes of curriculum are expected because it must be relevant from time to time. Indonesia’s latest curriculum is Merdeka curriculum. Thus this research aims to find out the perception of Junior High School (JHS, henceforth) EFL teachers at Jayapura Municipality toward the implementation of the new curriculum, Merdeka Curriculum and also to reveal problems or challenges faced by teacher when implementing this new curriculum. This research is mixed method namely Quan-qual research. The population of this study is EFL teachers at state JHS in Jayapura Municipality. The sample of this research are twenty three EFL teachers from ten state JHS. The sample is determined by multistage sampling technique consists of purposive sampling technique in the first stage and random sampling technique in the second stage. To get the data, the researcher shared a 32 items questionnaire to twenty here EFL teachers from ten state JHS and did an interview with ten of them. The result of the questionnaire is analyzed quantitatively while the result of interview is analyzed qualitatively. The findings showed that JHS EFL teachers’ perception toward the implementation of merdeka curriculum in order from the first aspect to the tenth are as follows: understanding learning outcomes (good; 60,87%), formulating learning objectives (good; 65,22%), compiling plot of learning objectives (good; 65,22%), planning diagnostic assessment (very good; 51,17%), planning learning adjustment (good; 69,56%), developing teaching module (good; 69,56%), carrying out formative assessment (good; 56,52%), carrying out summative assessment (good; 52,17%), reporting learning outcomes (good; 65,22%) and evaluating teaching and assessment (very good; 52,17%). The problems or challenges faced by EFL teachers on implementing merdeka curriculum are on the aspect determining learning outcomes and the phase, formulating learning objectives and plot of learning objectives, developing module and learning adjustments. Based on the findings, it can be concluded that the implementation of merdeka curriculum at JHS in Jayapura Municipality received good perception from EFL teachers even though they faced several problems and challenges on implementing it.