CCN, Cilegon – In order to foster a culture of literacy with the theme of embracing the Merdeka Curriculum in the development of Teaching Modules, MAN 1 Cilegon is organizing the Merdeka Curriculum Workshop on July 10-11 and July 14-15, 2023. This activity is held in anticipation of the new academic year 2023-2024 and is attended by the school’s teaching staff.
The Merdeka Curriculum is developed as an effort to recover learning loss in Indonesia and address post-pandemic learning challenges. Merdeka Mengajar, an educational platform that serves as a teacher’s companion, supports teachers in achieving national educational goals by providing assistance in teaching, learning, and creating a better educational environment.
Hj. Maryati, the Principal of MAN 1 Cilegon, explained that this workshop is an opportunity to strengthen the understanding of implementing the Merdeka Curriculum, particularly in terms of assessment.
“Assessment can be likened to a chef who prepares a dish. To know the taste of the food that will be served, a chef must do testing. If it lacks salt, add more salt; if it lacks sweetness, add sugar, and so on. Testing is done during the cooking process, not when the food is served. By that time, the food is already finished and cannot be altered. The same goes for the learning process. In order to determine the level of achievement of content or attitudes, teachers must conduct formative assessments. The purpose of formative assessment is to improve learning and attitudes, which is why assessment is done in a formative manner. In a summative assessment, learning cannot be improved anymore because it functions as a report. What can be improved is the instructional unit.”
Assessment is an integral part of the learning process. There are two types of assessments: formative and summative assessments, both of which serve different functions. Therefore, teachers must be able to change their concept of assessment. Assessment is the collection and processing of data. So its purpose is not just about grades but also the process. This workshop will discuss how to transform Continuous Assessment (CP) into Terminal Assessment (TP). From TP, assessments and instruments will be developed. Hopefully, this workshop can be attended by all teachers to understand the proper way of conducting assessments,” said Hj. Maryati.
In his opening speech, H. Muniruddin, the Head of Madrasah Education Division at the Ministry of Religious Affairs in Cilegon, explained the purpose of the Merdeka Curriculum Workshop as part of the efforts to educate the nation’s children within the Ministry of Religious Affairs. This workshop brings in competent speakers to provide a deeper insight and understanding of this curriculum.
H. Muniruddin also emphasized that being a teacher is a form of worship. He invited all workshop participants to carry out their profession with sincerity and patience in order to receive rewards from Allah SWT. The love for the teaching profession makes every task feel light. A sincere intention to worship Allah SWT should be the main motivation in teaching and educating students at MAN 1 Cilegon.
With the spirit of strengthening the Merdeka Curriculum and improving the quality of learning, this workshop is expected to provide better knowledge and skills to the teachers. MAN 1 Cilegon hopes that the teachers can become charismatic figures who are respected and emulated by their students.
(Translated by ahdi)
