The Paradox of Merdeka Curriculum in English Textbook at 7th Grade: Decolonizing Perspectives in English Teaching
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.24090/dvaza456Keywords:
Paradox: Textbook; Merdeka Curriculum; Decolonizing;Abstract
In English language learning, teachers often use textbooks published by national publishers such as Bupena. Bupena (Buku Penilaian Autentik (Authentic Assessment Book)) was published by Erlangga Publishers in 2023 based on the independent curriculum. The relevance between textbooks and the colonial era will be discussed in this study. It will also examine the paradox of the term “Merdeka” (independence) in the national curriculum itself in English language learning. As a country that was once colonized by European nations, one of which was Britain, the colonial perspective is still ingrained in the daily lives of Indonesians, especially in how educators, policymakers, and textbook publishers view students as still being shackled by the perspective of the oppressor or colonizer. As discussed by Paulo Freire in his book, Pedagogy of the Oppressed, about how oppressors view the oppressed and how education should not give birth to new oppressors. In this study, the author uses a descriptive qualitative method with a content analysis approach, focusing on the Bupena 7th grade junior high school textbook for the Merdeka curriculum, published in 2023 by Erlangga Publishers.
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