BACKGROUND
The Merdeka Belajar Curriculum is a policy put out by the Indonesian Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology (Kemendikbudristek) to raise the standard of education in the country. The Merdeka Belajar curriculum aims to give schools the autonomy to tailor their curricula to their pupils’ needs and strengths. The Education Office in Maluku Province has mandated that all Junior High (SMP), Senior High (SMA), and Vocational High (SMK) schools in the province complete a field study on the implementation of the Merdeka Belajar Curriculum in Music Arts Education.