<![CDATA[This study examines the implementation of Islamic Religious Education (PAI) within the Merdeka Curriculum at two senior high schools in East Kalimantan: SMA Negeri 1 Sangatta Selatan and SMAS Nabil Husein Samarinda. The study employed a qualitative case study design. Data were collected through observation, interviews, and documentation and analyzed using the interactive model of data condensation, data display, and conclusion drawing/verification. The findings show that PAI learning in both schools has shifted toward student-centered learning, with teachers functioning increasingly as facilitators and students participating through discussion, independent exploration, group work, and presentation. Both schools also accommodate cultural diversity by emphasizing tolerance, mutual respect, cooperation, and activities connected with local culture. Workshops and in-house training support teacher adaptation, and some teachers have participated in the Guru Penggerak program. The two schools differ mainly in institutional context and access to technology. SMA Negeri 1 Sangatta Selatan has relatively adequate digital facilities, whereas SMAS Nabil Husein integrates the Merdeka Curriculum with pesantren diniyah traditions and limits student device use while still providing scheduled computer-laboratory access. These findings indicate that implementation is shaped not only by curriculum policy but also by school culture, available facilities, and local educational context.]]>
