<![CDATA[Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menganalisis keterkaitan antara penerapan Kurikulum Merdeka dengan kemampuan membaca pemahaman siswa sekolah dasar di Kecamatan Rappocini, Kota Makassar. Kurikulum Merdeka dirancang untuk memberikan fleksibilitas pembelajaran yang sesuai dengan karakteristik dan kebutuhan siswa, melalui pendekatan diferensiasi, pembelajaran berbasis proyek, dan integrasi teknologi. Pendekatan kualitatif dengan metode deskriptif digunakan dalam penelitian ini, melalui observasi dan wawancara terhadap guru serta siswa di beberapa sekolah dasar. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa siswa yang belajar melalui Kurikulum Merdeka menunjukkan peningkatan dalam pemahaman teks, keterlibatan membaca, serta kemampuan berpikir kritis dan analitis. Selain itu, ditemukan bahwa keberhasilan penerapan kurikulum ini sangat dipengaruhi oleh faktor internal seperti kondisi tubuh, intelegensi, motivasi, minat, dan kematangan siswa. Di sisi lain, faktor eksternal seperti dukungan keluarga, metode pengajaran guru, serta ketersediaan fasilitas belajar turut menjadi penentu keberhasilan. Kendala-kendala dalam implementasi meliputi minimnya pelatihan guru, kurangnya sumber bacaan, serta keterbatasan akses teknologi. Temuan ini merekomendasikan perlunya kolaborasi antara guru, sekolah, keluarga, dan pemerintah dalam mendukung ekosistem literasi yang inklusif dan berkelanjutan. Penelitian ini memberikan kontribusi terhadap pengembangan strategi pembelajaran literasi yang kontekstual dan transformatif di tingkat pendidikan dasar. This study aims to analyze the correlation between the implementation of the Merdeka Curriculum and elementary school students’ reading comprehension skills in Rappocini District, Makassar City. The Merdeka Curriculum is designed to provide learning flexibility that aligns with students’ characteristics and needs, utilizing differentiated instruction, project-based learning, and technology integration. A qualitative descriptive approach was employed in this research, using observation and interviews with teachers and students from several elementary schools. The findings reveal that students engaged in the Merdeka Curriculum demonstrate improved text comprehension, reading engagement, and critical as well as analytical thinking skills. Moreover, the study identifies that successful curriculum implementation is significantly influenced by internal factors such as physical condition, intelligence, motivation, interest, and emotional maturity. In addition, external factors including family support, teaching methods, and access to learning facilities also determine the effectiveness of literacy development. Key challenges in implementation include limited teacher training, lack of reading resources, and restricted access to technology. These findings suggest the need for collaboration among teachers, schools, families, and policymakers to support an inclusive and sustainable literacy ecosystem. This study contributes to the development of contextual and transformative literacy learning strategies at the elementary education level.]]>
