Beyond Teacher Certification: A CIPP Evaluation of Curriculum Implementation in an Indonesian Elementary School

This study evaluated the enactment of the Merdeka Curriculum in a public elementary school in Ambon, Indonesia, using the context, input, process, and product (CIPP) framework. A qualitative, decision-oriented case evaluation was undertaken on 7–8 May 2026. Evidence reported in the original study comprised interviews with the principal and teachers, classroom observations, school-document review, and photographs of facilities. Findings revealed a persistent implementation gap across the four evaluation dimensions. In the context dimension, approximately 85% of pupils were reported to come from lower- to middle-income households, alongside limited parental engagement. In the input dimension, eight of ten teachers held professional certification, and basic teaching materials were available, but instructional plans and digital equipment were not consistently used to support active learning. In the process dimension, approximately 80% of observed or reported instruction was described as teacher-centred, formative assessment was inconsistent, and principal-led classroom supervision occurred once annually. In the product dimension, approximately 70% of pupils reportedly exceeded the school’s learning-objective attainment criteria, despite teachers’ concerns about literacy, numeracy, attendance, and discipline. The main contribution is an evidence-bounded diagnosis of the discontinuity between formal teacher qualifications and enacted pedagogy. The findings support prioritising instructional coaching, formative assessment, targeted foundational-skills support, and school–family collaboration. Given the two-day, single-site design and incomplete quantitative denominators, the reported proportions are descriptive rather than generalisable estimates.