Implementasi Kurikulum Merdeka Dalam Meningkatkan Pemahaman Moderasi Beragama Di Man 1 Rokan Hulu

The Independent Curriculum has become an important part of educational implementation because it provides opportunities for teachers and students to develop learning activities according to their needs and the characteristics of the madrasah environment. In its implementation, an understanding of religious moderation is necessary to foster tolerance, justice, balance, and respect for differences. This study aims to determine the implementation of the Independent Curriculum in improving students’ understanding of religious moderation and to identify the factors influencing its implementation at Madrasah Aliyah Negeri 1 Rokan Hulu Regency. This research employed a descriptive qualitative method. The results indicate that the implementation of the Independent Curriculum is carried out gradually by integrating religious moderation values into the learning process, particularly in the subjects of Aqidah Akhlak, Fiqh, Qur’an and Hadith, and Islamic Cultural History. Values of tolerance, justice, balance, and non-violence are increasingly internalized through classroom learning and student activities. The inhibiting factors include some teachers’ limited understanding of religious moderation concepts and the lack of technical training on integrating these values into the curriculum. Nevertheless, the implementation of the Independent Curriculum contributes positively to enhancing students’ understanding of religious moderation at the madrasah.