Teachers’ Perceptions of the Implementation of the Revised Integrated Dini Curriculum (KBD) for Lughah al–‘Arabiyah al–Mu‘asirah (LAM) at Form Four in Government–Assisted Religious Schools (SABK)

Abstract

This study examines teachers’ perceptions regarding the implementation of the Revised Integrated Dini Curriculum (Kurikulum Bersepadu Dini / KBD) for Lughah al–‘Arabiyah al–Mu‘asirah (LAM) at the Form Four level in Government–Assisted Religious Schools (SABK). Despite policy aspirations emphasizing communicative competence, higher–order thinking skills, and holistic Islamic values, empirical evidence suggests a gap between curriculum intentions and actual classroom practice. Employing a qualitative multiple–case study design, data were gathered from four experienced teachers through semi–structured interviews and document analysis, then analyzed using thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2021). The findings reveal three overarching themes: (1) structural misalignment between curriculum goals and classroom realities, (2) professional constraints and uneven curriculum literacy, and (3) teacher agency as a crucial mediating force in pedagogical enactment. Grounded in Stufflebeam’s (1971) CIPP evaluation model, this study underscores systemic incoherence across curriculum design, assessment practices, and professional development frameworks. Ultimately, the study contributes to the scholarship on Islamic secondary curriculum reform and offers actionable insights for sustainable policy implementation.