Implementation of the International Primary Curriculum (IPC): Strengthening 21st-Century Skills and Contributing to Sustainable Development Goals in Indonesia

Salasabila Nur Imatul Adzillah; Adnan Syah Sitorus; Larasati Husna Alifia

doi:10.14421/hjie.2025.52-02

Authors

Salasabila Nur Imatul Adzillah Universitas Islam Negeri Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta, Indonesia
Adnan Syah Sitorus Universitas Islam Negeri Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta, Indonesia
Larasati Husna Alifia International Islamic University of Islamabad, Pakistan

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.14421/hjie.2025.52-02

Keywords:

International Primary-Curriculum, Sustainable Development-Goals, 4C Skills

Abstract

This study aims to analyze the implementation of the International Primary Curriculum (IPC) in supporting 21st century education through strengthening critical thinking, creativity, communication, and collaboration (4C) skills, as well as evaluating its contribution to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially Goal 4: Quality Education. The method used is Systematic Literature Review (SLR) with the PRISMA approach, which involves searching the literature on the Scopus database, Google Scholar, and the Publish or Perish tool for the period 2020–2025. The results show that IPC significantly improves 4C skills through thematic, cross-disciplinary, and project-based learning that encourages student engagement, knowledge transfer, and an in-depth understanding of global and local issues. IPC's contribution is also seen in strengthening the principles of inclusivity, integrating sustainability values, and adapting learning that is relevant to the cultural context, so that it is in line with the SDGs agenda. However, the main challenges in its implementation in Indonesia include disparities in educational infrastructure, limited teacher capacity, and resource gaps between regions. The implications of this study underscore the importance of policy strategies that emphasize improving teacher competence, adapting the curriculum to local contexts, and collaboration between stakeholders to ensure sustainable implementation. Follow-up studies are recommended to explore the effectiveness of IPC implementation through field studies, longitudinal analysis of student learning outcomes, and evaluation of teacher training programs to strengthen the relevance and competitiveness of basic education in Indonesia.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Agrawal, R C, and Seema Jaggi. “Transforming Agricultural Education for a Sustainable Future.” In Transformation of Agri-Food Systems, edited by K C Bansal, W S Lakra, and Himanshu Pathak, 357–69. Singapore: Springer Nature Singapore, 2023. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-99-8014-7_25.

Ahmad, Ahmad. “Perencanaan Pendidikan Yang Responsif Terhadap Perubahan Sosial: Pendekatan Inklusif Untuk Mewujudkan Pendidikan Berkualitas.” Khatulistiwa 5, no. 2 (2022): 49–61. https://doi.org/10.69901/kh.v5i2.284.

Alisjahbana, Armida Salsiah, and Endah Murniningtyas. Tujuan Pembangunan Berkelanjutan Di Indonesia: Konsep Target Dan Strategi Implementasi. Bandung: UNPAD Press, 2018.

Alm, Karin, Maria Melén, and Caroline Aggestam-Pontoppidan. “Advancing SDG Competencies in Higher Education: Exploring an Interdisciplinary Pedagogical Approach.” International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education 22, no. 6 (July 26, 2021): 1450–66. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSHE-10-2020-0417.

Alsina, Ángel, and Claudia Vásquez. “Professional Development and Teacher Agency in Mathematics Teacher Education for Sustainability.” Mathematics Education Research Journal 37, no. 2 (2025): 215–38. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13394-024-00488-y.

Anas, Azwar Yusran, Agus Wahyudi, and Nurliana Cipta Apsari. “Desa Dan Kota Dalam Potret Pendidikan.” In Prosiding Penelitian Dan Pengabdian Kepada Masyarakat, 418–22, 2015. https://doi.org/10.24198/jppm.v2i3.13592.

Arodani, Moh. Pudali, Stkip Pgri, Sumenep Misriyani, and Sumenep Fardan Firdausy. “Pendidikan Sekolah Dasar 2024: Menyiapkan Generasi Emas Dengan Keterampilan Abad 21.” Jurnal Ilmiah Research Student 2, no. 1 (2025): 145–54. https://doi.org/10.61722/jirs.v2i1.3633.

Basheer, Najihath, Vian Ahmed, Zied Bahroun, and Chiraz Anane. “Exploring Sustainability Assessment Practices in Higher Education: A Comprehensive Review through Content and Bibliometric Analyses.” Sustainability 16, no. 13 (2024). https://doi.org/10.3390/su16135799.

Boned-Gomez, Salvador. “Education for Sustainability: Analysing the Spanish Curriculum in Primary Education and Physical Education,” 2025. https://doi.org/10.1080/25742981.2025.2466543.

Braun, Virginia, and Victoria Clarke. Thematic Analysis: A Practical Guide. Sage Publications, 2021.

Bravo-Fuentes, Paloma, María Paz López-Peláez Casellas, and Miriam Albusac-Jorge. “Music and Art as a Hubs for Transdisciplinarity: Toward the Achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.” Arts Education Policy Review 4, no. 1 (2025): 1–9. https://doi.org/10.1080/10632913.2025.2451372.

Cristóvão, Ana Maria, Sabina Valente, Hugo Rebelo, and Ana Francisca Ruivo. “Emotional Education for Sustainable Development: A Curriculum Analysis of Teacher Training in Portugal and Spain.” Frontiers in Education 8 (2023). https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2023.1165319.

Dendodi, Dendodi, Nurdiana Nurdiana, Yayuk Dwi Astuti, Aunurrahman Aunurrahman, and Warneri Warneri. “Dampak Dan Tantangan Terhadap Transformasi Kurikulum Di Satuan Pendidikan.” Journal of Education Research 5, no. 2 (April 18, 2024): 1071–80. https://doi.org/10.37985/jer.v5i2.960.

Desy Riani Hafshah, and Nursiwi Nugraheni. “Dinamika Kesetaraan Pendidikan Sebagai Fondasi SDGS.” Jurnal Penelitian Pendidikan Indonesia (JPPI) 1, no. 3 SE-Articles (April 1, 2024): 142–50. https://doi.org/10.62017/jppi.v1i3.989.

Durão, Anabela, Teresa Borralho, and Albertina Raposo. “Healthy Campus: A Contribution to the Environment, Sustainability, and Social Responsibility Practices at the IPBeja in Portugal.” Sustainability 17, no. 3 (2025). https://doi.org/10.3390/su17030862.

Escobedo, Fernando, Rosa Clavijo-lópez, Elia Anacely, Córdova Calle, Fernando Willy, Morillo Galarza, and César Augusto Flores-tananta. “Effect of Health Education on Environmental Pollution as a Primary Factor in Sustainable Development.” Natural and Engineering Sciences 9, no. 2 (2024): 460–71. https://doi.org/10.28978/nesciences.1574456.

Espino-Díaz, Luis, Rocío Luque González, Gemma Fernández-Caminero, and José Luis Álvarez Castillo. “Exploring the Impact of Project-Based Learning on Sustainable Development Goals Awareness and University Students’ Growth.” European Journal of Educational Research 14 (January 8, 2025): 283–96. https://doi.org/10.12973/eu-jer.14.1.283.

García-González, Esther, Silvia Albareda-Tiana, Carmen Solís-Espallargas, and Rocío Jiménez-Fontana. “Transformative Education for Sustainable Consumption.” Trends in Higher Education 1, no. 1 (2022): 1–15. https://doi.org/10.3390/higheredu1010001.

Hill, Rosemarie, and Dan Hughes. “Nature Connectedness and The Common Third Within the Primary Curriculum.” In Exploring Sustainability Through a Cross-Curricular Approach, 109–21. Routledge, 2025. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003506850-11.

Huang, Yun Ting. “Moderating Role of Self-Efficacy: An Academic Emotion Cost Model.” Bulletin of Educational Psychology 55, no. 3 (2024): 607–28. https://doi.org/10.6251/BEP.202403_55(3).0008.

Husban, Walaa Al. “The Impact of Integrating Sustainable Development Goals on Students’ Awareness and Pro-Environmental Behavior: A Case Study of Jordan.” Sustainability 17, no. 6 (2025). https://doi.org/10.3390/su17062588.

Layyinah, Leni. “Menciptakan Pembelajaran Fun Learning Based on Scientific Approach Dalam Pembentukan Karakter Peserta Didik Pada Pembelajaran PAI.” TARBAWY: Indonesian Journal of Islamic Education 4, no. 1 (2017): 1–9. https://doi.org/10.17509/t.v4i1.6987.

Lisdaleni, Lisdaleni, Dwi Noviani, Paizaluddin Paizaluddin, and Belly Harisandi. “Problematika Pendidikan Islam Di Pesantren Dan Madrasah Di Era Globalisasi.” PUSTAKA: Jurnal Bahasa Dan Pendidikan 2, no. 4 (2022): 190–205. https://doi.org/10.56910/pustaka.v2i4.359.

Liu, Yvonne Yu-Feng. “Taiwan: Towards Comprehensive Integration: Early Childhood Education for Sustainability in Taiwan.” In International Perspectives on Early Childhood Education and Development, 211–25. Springer Science and Business Media B.V, 2025.

Mandala, Gerry, and Muhammad Aji Nugroho. “Rekonstruksi Sistem Pembelajaran PAI Yang Responsif Terhadap Kebutuhan Peserta Didik.” Journal of Innovative and Creativity 5, no. 2 (July 19, 2025): 13922–32. https://doi.org/10.31004/joecy.v5i2.1775.

Marmoah, Sri, Jenny I S Poerwanti, Siti Istiyati, and Hasan Mahfud. “Implementation of Independent Curriculum for Elementary Schools in Indonesian Schools Abroad.” Jurnal Penelitian Pendidikan IPA 10, no. 10 (2024): 7228–35. https://doi.org/10.29303/jppipa.v10i10.8398.

Miles, Matthew B, A Michael Huberman, and Johnny Saldaña. Qualitative Data Analysis: A Methods Sourcebook. 3rd ed. Sage Publications, 2014.

Moro, Christian, Charlotte Phelps, and Michelle McLean. “Don’t Forget the Veggies! Identifying and Addressing a Lack of Vegetable Education in Physiology.” Advances in Physiology Education 47, no. 4 (December 2023): 726–31. https://doi.org/10.1152/advan.00052.2023.

Mukhlishah, Mukhlishah, and Ni’matus Sholihah. “Implementation of The Cambridge International Primary Programme on A Mosque-Based Learning Culture.” Nidhomul Haq : Jurnal Manajemen Pendidikan Islam 9, no. 1 (2024): 165–79. https://doi.org/10.31538/ndh.v9i1.4448.

Nagy, Henrietta, and Admira Boshnyaku. “Measuring Knowledge of Youth About Sustainability and Circular Economy.” Engineering for Rural Development 24 (2025): 292–98. https://doi.org/10.22616/ERDev.2025.24.TF064.

Nawari, Thamrin, Nofrizal, Almasdi Syahza, Juandi Muhammad, and Nur Islami. “Community Based Ecotourism Management to Strengthen Environmental Ethics and Supports Sustainable Development in Pelalawan District, Indonesia.” In IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, 1041:12036. IOP Publishing, 2022. https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/1041/1/012036.

Nomor, Volume, Februari Halaman, Christina Devi Alfianti, Agnes Herlina, Dwi Hadiyanti, Pendidikan Guru, Sekolah Dasar, and Universitas Sanata. “Implementasi Integrasi Kurikulum IPC (International Primary Curriculum) Dan Merdeka Di SD Nasional Plus Indonesia.” Edukatif: Jurnal Ilmu Pendidikan 6, no. 1 (2024): 220–31. https://doi.org/10.31004/edukatif.v6i1.5875.

Nugroho, Kristanto Adi, Agus Kristiyanto, and Muchsin Doewes. “Implementasi Pendidikan Jasmani Dalam International Primary Curriculum.” Jurnal Keolahragaan 6, no. 2 (September 22, 2018): 110–19. https://doi.org/10.21831/jk.v0i0.21336.

Putri, Chionia Karesi, and Gregorius Ari Nugrahanta. “Upaya IPC Dalam Menunjang Keterampilan Berpikir Kritis Bagi Siswa Kelas 2 SD.” Metodik Didaktik 20, no. 1 (2024): 35–44. https://doi.org/10.17509/md.v20i1.58961.

Sri Nopiani, Iin Purnamasari, Duwi Nuvitalia, and Andiani Rahmawati. “Kompetensi 4C Dalam Implementasi Kurikulum Merdeka Di Kelas IV Sekolah Dasar.” Didaktik: Jurnal Ilmiah PGSD STKIP Subang 9, no. 2 (July 7, 2023): 5202–10. https://doi.org/10.36989/didaktik.v9i2.1136.

Su, Chia Shih, María José Seckel, and Claudia Vásquez. “What Learning Opportunities Does the Chilean Primary Education Curriculum Offer to Train in Sustainability?” Mathematics Teaching-Research Journal 14, no. 3 (2022): 108–32.

Subair, Ahmad. “Sejarah Pendidikan Indonesia: Sebuah Refleksi.” JICN: Jurnal Intelek Dan Cendekiawan Nusantara 1, no. 5 (2024): 6395–6394. https://jicnusantara.com/index.php/jicn.

Suryana, Ermis, Amrina Ika Hasdikurniati, Ayu Alawiya Harmayanti, and Kasinyo Harto. “Perkembangan Remaja Menengah Awal Dan Implikasinya.” Jurnal Ilmiah Mandala Education 8, no. 3 (2022): 1917–28. https://doi.org/10.58258/jime.v9i1.3494.

Trilling, Bernie, and Charles Fadel. 21st Century Skills: Learning for Life in Our Times. San Fransisco: John Wiley & Sons, Ltd, 2009.

Ulum, Fachrurizal Bachrul. “Implementation of an Integrative Curriculum in Kindy Afkaaruna Islamic School and Its Relevance To the Attitude of Religious Moderation.” Shibghoh: Prosiding Ilmu Kependidikan UNIDA Gontor 2, no. 2 (2023): 420. https://ejournal.unida.gontor.ac.id/index.php/shibghoh/article/view/11049.

Yao, Kai-Chao, Fan-Lung Tseng, and Chi-Chi Chan. “Transforming Education: The Impact of Integrating International Education into School Curricula on International Literacy and Learning Attitudes.” Sustainability 17, no. 10 (2025). https://doi.org/10.3390/su17104462.

Yuni, Yatha, Les Tia Hanifa, and Hegar Harini. “Pengembangan Proses Pembelajaran Berbasis Pendidikan Karakter Di Kelas.” Jurnal Citizenship Virtues 4, no. 1 (2024): 713–23. https://doi.org/10.37640/jcv.v4i1.1971.