<![CDATA[Matematika berperan penting melatih kemampuan berpikir logis, analitis, dan sistematis siswa, namun kualitas pembelajarannya di Indonesia masih rendah sebagaimana tercermin dari peringkat PISA 2022. Di SMP Negeri 1 Jebus muncul kesenjangan mencolok antara capaian makro dan mikro: numerasi pada Rapor Pendidikan meningkat tajam dari 63,64% (2023) menjadi 95,56% (2025), tetapi rata-rata ketuntasan harian siswa hanya berkisar 45%-kesenjangan yang peneliti istilahkan fatamorgana akademik, yakni kondisi ketika skor asesmen nasional yang tinggi belum tentu mencerminkan penguasaan konsep matematika siswa secara nyata dalam praktik belajar sehari-hari. Penelitian ini bertujuan menganalisis bentuk permasalahan belajar matematika, mengeksplorasi makna pembelajaran matematika, dan mengidentifikasi upaya siswa mengatasi kesulitan tersebut. Penelitian kualitatif deskriptif berpendekatan fenomenologis ini melibatkan 86 siswa kelas VII-IX yang dipilih secara purposive berdasarkan pengalaman kesulitan belajar, dengan jumlah informan tiap kelas ditentukan melalui proportionate stratified random sampling berbasis rumus Slovin agar representasi tiap jenjang dan 18 kelas paralel tetap proporsional, serta empat guru matematika, selama September 2025 sampai Februari 2026. Data dikumpulkan melalui wawancara semi-terstruktur, observasi partisipatif, dan studi dokumentasi, dianalisis dengan model interaktif Miles dan Huberman. Hasil menunjukkan permasalahan belajar terbagi menjadi kesulitan konseptual, prosedural, dan pemecahan masalah verbal, dengan materi tersulit berbeda pada tiap jenjang (skala dan aljabar di kelas VII; relasi dan fungsi di kelas VIII; transformasi geometri di kelas IX), yang dipicu faktor eksternal berupa metode dan kecepatan penjelasan guru serta faktor internal seperti motivasi, konsentrasi, dan kesiapan fisik siswa. Matematika tetap dimaknai siswa secara positif sebagai sarana pengambilan keputusan, pembentukan karakter, dan pendukung mata pelajaran lain. Siswa mengatasi kesulitan melalui kombinasi pendekatan deduktif dan pemanfaatan teknologi digital, sementara guru menerapkan enam pendekatan pembelajaran yang penerapannya di kelas belum konsisten dengan rancangan pada modul ajar. Temuan ini menyimpulkan bahwa fatamorgana akademik di SMP Negeri 1 Jebus bersumber dari kesenjangan implementasi kurikulum, sehingga secara praktis penelitian ini merekomendasikan penguatan pendampingan implementasi kurikulum dan program diagnosis-remedial berbasis pemetaan kesulitan belajar yang personal dan kontekstual sebagai langkah prioritas bagi guru dan sekolah. Mathematics plays a crucial role in fostering students' logical, analytical, and systematic thinking skills; however, the quality of mathematics instruction in Indonesia remains low, as reflected in the 2022 PISA rankings. At SMP Negeri 1 Jebus, a striking gap exists between macro and micro performance indicators: numeracy scores in the *Rapor Pendidikan* (Education Report Card) rose sharply from 63.64% (2023) to 95.56% (2025), yet the average daily mastery rate among students hovered at only 45%-a gap the researchers term an "academic mirage," a condition in which high national assessment scores do not necessarily reflect students' actual mastery of mathematical concepts in everyday classroom practice. This study aims to analyze the nature of mathematics learning challenges, explore the meaning students attribute to mathematics learning, and identify the strategies students employ to overcome these difficulties. Employing a descriptive qualitative design with a phenomenological approach, the study involved 86 students from grades VII through IX purposively selected based on their experience of learning difficulties, with the number of informants per class determined through proportionate stratified random sampling based on the Slovin formula to keep representation across grade levels and 18 parallel classes proportional and four mathematics teachers, over the period from September 2025 to February 2026. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, participant observation, and document analysis, and were subsequently analyzed using the Miles and Huberman interactive model. The results reveal that learning challenges fall into three categories conceptual, procedural, and verbal problem-solving difficulties with the most difficult topics varying by grade level (scale and algebra in grade VII; relations and functions in grade VIII; geometric transformation in grade IX), driven by external factors (teachers' explanatory methods and pace) and internal factors (motivation, concentration, and physical readiness). Students nonetheless perceive mathematics positively as a tool for decision-making, character building, and support for other subjects. Students cope with difficulties through a combination of deductive approaches and digital technology, while teachers apply six pedagogical approaches whose classroom implementation is not yet consistent with what is planned in their teaching modules. These findings indicate that the academic mirage at SMP Negeri 1 Jebus stems from gaps in curriculum implementation, so the study recommends strengthening curriculum-implementation mentoring and personalized, context-specific diagnostic-remedial programs as priority steps for teachers and schools.]]>
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