Indonesian secondary history literacy skills level: case study of public and private high schools in Sukoharjo Regency, Central Java

Abstract

This study aims to understand the historical literacy level of tenth-grade high school students before the implementation of the Kurikulum Merdeka. The research questions posed were: (1) what is the historical literacy level of Tenth Grade Senior High School students? Furthermore, (2) What are the factors behind the history literacy level of Tenth Grade High School students? The research subjects were Tenth Grade students and teachers from 19 high schools in Sukoharjo Regency, Central Java, Indonesia. The method used is an online historical literacy test for students using multiple-choice questions. Focus Group Discussions with teachers are used to understand the factors behind students' historical literacy competence. The test results show that the historical literacy level of high school students is deficient, so they will experience many difficulties in participating in learning using the Kurikulum Merdeka. The reason is that teachers and textbooks thoroughly explain historical material, so the student's task is just memorizing it. Another factor is the influence of Orientalists that narrates national history about foreign activities in Indonesia. All factors made Indonesian history becomes a rote lesson that could be more interesting and challenging for students.