<![CDATA[This study aims to explore the obstacles in implementing the Merdeka Curriculum in Buddhist Religious Education at Sariputra School in Jambi at the primary, junior high, and senior high school levels for the 2024/2025 academic year. The focus of the study is on teachers' understanding of the curriculum, their level of readiness in implementing student-centred learning, and the obstacles they face in internalising the values of Buddha Dharma in the educational environment. This study uses a descriptive qualitative approach with data collection techniques through in-depth interviews, environmental and classroom observations, and learning documentation as the main sources of information. The research subjects include Buddhist Religious Education teachers and deputy principals in charge of curriculum at each level. The results show that teachers have a fairly good basic understanding of the principles of the Merdeka Curriculum. However, in practice, they still experience difficulties or obstacles in developing learning that prioritises the needs, interests, and potential of students independently. Time constraints, lack of technical training or seminars related to the implementation of the independent curriculum, and the lack of availability of contextual learning media and facilities are the main obstacles. In addition, the implementation of the Pancasila Student Profile Strengthening Project (P5) based on Buddhist Dharma values such as love (metta), compassion (karuna), and self-awareness (sati) has not been fully optimised. Despite facing various challenges, teachers continue to show dedication in shaping students' character through Buddhist moral values. This reflects the important role of teachers in integrating spiritual teachings into the learning process. Therefore, concrete efforts are needed from schools and policy makers to improve teacher capacity through training, the provision of modules, and the development of Buddhist spirituality-based learning media in line with the spirit of the Independent Curriculum.]]>
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