<![CDATA[Curriculum and learning strategies are two inseparable components in delivering quality education. The curriculum serves as the foundation that determines the direction, goals, and values to be achieved through the educational process, while the learning strategy is the tangible way teachers operationalize that foundation in front of the students. This study aims to examine the correlation between the foundation of Kurikulum Merdeka (the Independent Curriculum) and the learning strategies applied by teachers in the classroom, including the role of driving teachers (guru penggerak) as the spearhead of implementation, as well as findings from various empirical studies in elementary schools (sekolah dasar) and madrasah ibtidaiyah. This study utilizes a literature review approach by examining various scientific journal articles, policy documents, and relevant educational literature. The results indicate that the philosophical, psychological, and sociological foundations of Kurikulum Merdeka directly shape and demand learning strategies that are active, flexible, and student centered. Differentiated learning strategies, diagnostic assessments, and project-based learning through the Project for Strengthening the Profile of Pancasila Students (P5) are concrete manifestations of the curriculum's foundational values. The success of the implementation heavily relies on the readiness and commitment of all school components, particularly teachers, in translating the curriculum foundation into learning practices that are real, meaningful, and sustainable. Keywords: kurikulum merdeka, learning strategies, driving teachers, differentiated learning, curriculum implementation.]]>
