Implementation of Kurikulum Berbasis Cinta in Islamic Primary Education: A Phenomenological Study at Madrasah Ibtidaiyah
Abstract
This study explores how a Kurikulum Berbasis Cinta is interpreted and enacted in Islamic primary education at Madrasah Ibtidaiyah. Using a qualitative phenomenological design, the research examined the lived experiences of school actors in planning, implementing, and evaluating a curriculum that humanizes learners while maintaining strong Islamic values. Semi-structured interviews were conducted on 1 June 2026 with the principal, curriculum coordinator, six teachers, four students, and three parents. The interview data were complemented by classroom observations, school-environment observations, and document analysis of teaching modules, assessment records, and student portfolios. Data were analyzed through horizonalization, meaning-unit clustering, thematic synthesis, and interpretive reflection. The findings show that the Kurikulum Berbasis Cinta was experienced through four interrelated dimensions: i) curriculum meaning as rahmah-centered humanization, ii) compassionate and differentiated classroom practice, iii) dialogic and formative assessment, and iv) a school ecology that prioritizes dignity, safety, and spiritual growth. Participants described that students were given voice, guided through respectful discipline, and supported according to learning readiness and socio-emotional needs. At the same time, implementation was constrained by documentation burden, uneven teacher capacity in differentiated instruction, limited learning resources, and some parents’ continuing preference for examination-oriented indicators. The essence of the experience indicates that a Kurikulum Berbasis Cinta in a madrasah context is not merely a soft pedagogical style; it is an institutional ethic of care that integrates adab, academic growth, and learner well-being. The study recommends sustained teacher mentoring, stronger parent-school dialogue, and assessment designs that better connect cognitive, affective, social, and spiritual outcomes.