Implementation of Differentiated Instruction Under the Merdeka Curriculum to Improve the Quality of Learning in Islamic Religious Education at Smks Zauhari Damuli

Abstract

Variations in students’ readiness for learning call for Islamic Religious Education (PAI) instruction that provides meaningful access to every student. This study analyzes the implementation of differentiated instruction within the framework of the Merdeka Curriculum and its contribution to the quality of the learning process at SMKS Zauhari Damuli. A descriptive qualitative approach was employed through the analysis of documentation and interviews with PAI teachers conducted on August 20, 2026. The data were condensed, coded, and grouped into four themes: needs assessment, instructional adaptation, quality of the learning experience, and sustainability of implementation. The findings indicate that teachers used initial assessments to identify differences in students’ abilities to read the Qur’an as well as their needs for reading materials and videos, and then adapted instructional materials, instructions, and assignments accordingly. Teachers perceived differences in student motivation and assessed that students’ understanding was more deeply ingrained when they were motivated from the outset of the learning process. Time spent preparing instructional materials and managing the classroom emerged as the primary challenges. The analysis indicates that the value of differentiation lies in the precision of the alignment between students’ needs and teaching decisions, with implications for access, engagement, and the meaningfulness of learning. The findings represent the perceptions of a single informant and do not measure causal effectiveness. Further development requires adaptive materials, clear success criteria, and documented formative assessments.