<![CDATA[This study aims to analyze the implementation of Student Centered Learning (SCL)-based Islamic Religious Education (PAI) within the framework of the Merdeka Curriculum at MA Nurul Hidayah Lecari and to examine teachers’ and students’ perceptions of its implementation. The study employed a qualitative approach with a case study design. Data were collected through observation, in-depth interviews, and documentation, then analyzed using the interactive model of Miles and Huberman, including data reduction, data display, and conclusion drawing. Data validity was ensured through source and technique triangulation. The findings reveal that PAI learning has begun to adopt SCL principles through group discussions, presentations, collaborative projects, and independent exploration. However, the learning process remains largely teacher-centered, indicating that SCL implementation has not yet been fully optimized. Supporting factors include a conducive pesantren environment and the flexibility of the Merdeka Curriculum, while the main obstacles consist of limited facilities, diverse student learning readiness, and assessment practices still focused on cognitive achievement. The novelty of this study lies in its analysis of SCL implementation in PAI learning within a pesantren-based madrasah context under the Merdeka Curriculum. This study implies the importance of strengthening teacher competencies and developing a more participatory learning environment to support the transformation of student-centered PAI learning. ABSTRAK Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menganalisis penerapan pembelajaran Pendidikan Agama Islam (PAI) berbasis Student Centered Learning (SCL) dalam kerangka Kurikulum Merdeka di MA Nurul Hidayah Lecari serta mengkaji persepsi guru dan peserta didik terhadap implementasinya. Penelitian menggunakan pendekatan kualitatif dengan desain studi kasus. Data dikumpulkan melalui observasi, wawancara mendalam, dan dokumentasi, kemudian dianalisis menggunakan model interaktif Miles dan Huberman melalui reduksi data, penyajian data, dan penarikan kesimpulan. Keabsahan data diperoleh melalui triangulasi sumber dan teknik. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa pembelajaran PAI telah mulai menerapkan prinsip-prinsip SCL melalui diskusi kelompok, presentasi, proyek kolaboratif, dan eksplorasi mandiri. Namun, proses pembelajaran masih didominasi pendekatan yang berpusat pada guru sehingga penerapan SCL belum optimal. Faktor pendukung implementasi meliputi lingkungan pesantren yang kondusif dan fleksibilitas Kurikulum Merdeka, sedangkan hambatan utama berupa keterbatasan fasilitas, kesiapan belajar peserta didik yang beragam, dan budaya evaluasi yang masih berorientasi kognitif. Kebaruan penelitian ini terletak pada analisis implementasi SCL dalam pembelajaran PAI pada madrasah berbasis pesantren dalam konteks Kurikulum Merdeka. Penelitian ini berimplikasi pada pentingnya penguatan kompetensi guru dan pengembangan lingkungan belajar yang lebih partisipatif guna mendukung transformasi pembelajaran PAI yang berpusat pada peserta didik.]]>
