By Sintia Azizah / 12220010177 / Class E / Semester IV / MPI Student / S1 / UIN Bandung
An excellent madrasah is an Islamic educational institution capable of creating an effective, comfortable, and safe learning environment, supported by flagship programs based on students' potential and life skills, competent educators, and community participation, thereby producing high-achieving graduates ready to compete in the modern era.
This paper aims to broaden understanding of four key aspects in Understanding Reform and Innovation in Islamic Education Management with an International Perspective: the basic concept of global education reform, the reform of Islamic education in Indonesia, the reform of Islamic religious education in Indonesia, and the model of Islamic religious education reform through Merdeka Belajar (Freedom to Learn).
First: The Basic Concept of Global Education Reform; Global education reform is an ongoing process aimed at aligning educational systems with contemporary social, economic, and political values to create a more just, prosperous, and knowledgeable society. Its history reflects a shift from elite education toward more inclusive universal access, focusing on improving quality of life through relevant, democratic, and adaptive education. In the United States, for example, educational reform has faced major challenges such as racial and social class segregation, wealth inequality, and limited access to early childhood education---issues rooted in historically discriminatory policies. Reform efforts are also driven by the need to address social issues such as poverty, gender inequality, and economic lag, based on the belief that equitable, high-quality education is key to improving societal welfare.
Second: Reform of Islamic Education in Indonesia; National education reform in Indonesia is a complex and long-term process aimed at improving the effectiveness and efficiency of the education system to better achieve national education goals. This process requires identifying fundamental issues in educational implementation and formulating strategic, data-driven, and realistic policies. Various policies have been implemented---from the New Order era's half-hearted approaches to the reform era marked by Law No. 20 of 2003 on the National Education System, increasing education budgets to 20% of the state budget, and other supporting regulations aimed at improving the quality and equity of education. The reform emphasizes the need for change not only at the administrative level but also in the quality of educational processes and outcomes to meet the demands of a competitive global era.
Third: Reform of Islamic Religious Education in Indonesia; Reform of Islamic religious education in Indonesia aims to align education with contemporary needs through a systemic, bottom-up approach. Changes include curriculum strengthening, formal recognition within the national education system through Law No. 20 of 2003, and enhancing the role of madrasahs. The reform is directed at empowering students through modern, community-based management with a focus on Islamic values that are adaptive to global developments.
Fourth: Model of Islamic Religious Education Reform through Merdeka Belajar; The reform model of Islamic Religious Education through the Merdeka Belajar concept aims to create a joyful, independent, and relevant learning process. This concept emphasizes the autonomy of teachers and students in innovating, simplifying educational administration, and replacing score-based assessments with competence and character-based evaluations. In practice, Islamic Religious Education and Character Education aim to shape spiritually strong, morally upright students who understand and apply Islamic teachings holistically through cognitive, affective, and psychomotor approaches---aligned with universal Islamic values and the spirit of the Merdeka Curriculum.
The reform of Islamic religious education in Indonesia seeks to improve quality, equity, and relevance in line with contemporary needs. The Merdeka Belajar approach is key---providing freedom for teachers and students to innovate and learn according to their unique characteristics. Islamic Religious Education in the Merdeka Curriculum is designed to develop students who are faithful, pious, morally upright, and excellent in cognitive, affective, and psychomotor aspects.
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 This article is adapted from the Learning Materials of the "International Islamic Education Management" course, Part 13: Reform and Innovation in Islamic Education Management with an International Perspective. Course Instructor: Prof. Dr. H. A. Rusdiana, M.M.
