STUDENTS’ AND TEACHERS’ PERCEPTIONS OF THE CAMBRIDGE CURRICULUM IMPLEMENTATION IN ENGLISH SUBJECT AT AN SPK SCHOOL IN SURABAYA
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31851/esteem.v8i2.19408Keywords:
Cambridge Curriculum, Perceptions, SPK school, curriculum implementationAbstract
This study explores students’ and teachers’ perceptions, along with contributing factors, toward the implementation of the Cambridge curriculum (TCC) in an SPK school in Surabaya. Using a mixed-methods approach with a descriptive design, data were gathered from 195 students and 4 teachers. The results from questionnaires and interviews indicate generally positive perceptions, with mean scores of 3.96 for students and 4.28 for teachers. Despite this, several challenges emerged, such as students’ difficulty in understanding Cambridge textbooks and differing views on infrastructure particularly Wi-Fi access and the presence of a language laboratory. Key factors influencing curriculum implementation include teacher adaptability, engagement from both students and teachers, curriculum flexibility, collaborative learning, and ICT integration. These findings provide valuable insight for SPK schools in Indonesia to assess and enhance their English curriculum practices. The study contributes to a better understanding of how international curricula are perceived in local contexts and offers practical considerations for improving teaching and learning strategies under the TCC framework.
References
Abdulloh, A. B. (2022). Manajemen Implementasi Perpaduan Kurikulum Cambridge dan Kurikulum Nasional di SMP Islam Alabidin Surakarta [Master's thesis, Universitas Negeri Raden Mas Said Surakarta]. https://eprints.iain-surakarta.ac.id/4240/1/tesis%20ahmad%20bayu%20abdulloh.pdf
Adilah, N., Galvez, J., Suliyanah, S., & Deta, U. A. (2023). Analisis implementasi kurikulum Cambridge pada salah satu sekolah internasional di Jakarta. Jurnal Ilmu Pendidikan dan Pembelajaran, 2(1), 48-64.. https://doi.org/10.58706/jipp
Aji, K. A. (2023). Literature Review: The Relationship between Merdeka Curriculum and Student Learning Achievement. Jurnal Pendidikan Jasmani (JPJ), 4(1), 17–30. https://doi.org/10.55081/jpj.v4i1.732
Akrimah, T. F. (2024). The implementation of Cambridge curriculum learning resources in teaching English at seventh-grade language SMP Muhammadiyah Boarding School Zam-Zam Cilongok Banyumas [Undergraduate thesis, State Islamic University Profesor Kiai Haji Saifuddin Zuhri Purwokerto]. https://repository.uinsaizu.ac.id/id/eprint/26016
Ameliya, M., Izzah, L., & Aguirre, A. I. (2024). EFL Cambridge curriculum implementation at Kharisma Bangsa Middle School: Teachers’ perspective. English Language in Focus (ELIF), 7(1), 31–40. https://doi.org/10.24853/elif.7.1.31-40
Anderson, L. M., & Willis, J. (2019). The role of local history in the social studies curriculum. Routledge.
Asqolani. (2016). Implementasi Kurikulum Cambridge di Madrasah Ibtidaiyah Mumtaza Pondok Cabe Pamulang Tangerang Selatan (Universitas Islam Negeri Syarif Hidayatullah). https://repository.uinjkt.ac.id/dspace/handle/123456 789/33668
Badan Penelitian dan Pengembangan Kementerian Pendidikan dan Kebudayaan. (2017). Penyelenggaraan dan Pengelolaan Satuan Pendidikan Kerja Sama (Issue 2017).
Banks, J. A. (2019). Cultural Diversity and Education: Foundations, Curriculum, and Teaching (6th ed.). Routledge.
Bhwana, P. G. (2023). Ministry claims Merdeka curiculum improves quality of education in Indonesia. https://en.tempo.co/read/1685279/ministry-claims-merdeka-curriculum-improves-quality-of-education-in-indonesia
Cambridge Assessment International Education. (2021). Implementing the curriculum with Cambridge: A guide for school leaders. https://www.cambridgeinternational.org/Images/134557-implementing-the-curriculum-with-cambridge.pdf
Cambridge International Education. (2024). An international education from http://cambridge.org/internationaleducation
Ferdaus, S. A., & Novita, D. (2023). The Implementation of The Merdeka Curriculum in English Subject at A Vocational High School in Indonesia. Briliant: Jurnal Riset Dan Konseptual, 8(2), 297. https://doi.org/10.28926/briliant.v8i2.1201
Ferro, E. F., Cid, F. M., Cárcamo, F. P., Gajardo, E. P., Ibarra- Mora, J., Vargas, C. M., & Muñoz, B. Q. (2023). Self-perception of the level of achievement of the Disciplinary and Pedagogical Standards in physical education students of two universities in Santiago de Chile. Retos: Nuevas Tendencias En Educación Física, Deporte y Recreación, 48, 197–206. https://doi.org/10.47197/retos.v48.94589
Hikmah, N. (2024). The teaching of English using Cambridge curriculum-based textbook: A case study at an Islamic high school in Jambi Province [Undergraduate thesis, Jambi University]. https://repository.unja.ac.id/id/eprint/60158
Holandyah, M., Erlina, D., Marzulina, L., & Yulianti, D. (2022). The implementation of the Cambridge Lower Secondary English Curriculum: Teachers’ voices at one private school in Palembang. Edukasi: Jurnal Pendidikan Dan Pengajaran, 9. https://doi.org/10.19109/ejpp.v9i1.11785
Indonesia, R. (2003). Undang-Undang Nomor 20 Tahun 2003 tentang Sistem Pendidikan Nasional. Sekretariat Negara.
Jaya, A., Hartono, R., Wahyuni, S., & Yulianto, H. J. (2025a). From silent to supreme: The transformative power of project-based learning on language learners. Multidisciplinary Reviews, 8(8), 2025258. https://doi.org/10.31893/multirev.2025258
Jaya, A., Hartono, R., Wahyuni, S., & Yulianto, H. J. (2025b). Los efectos de la estrategia de aprendizaje basado en proyectos con actividad física en función del género sobre el rendimiento escolar y la confianza en sí mismos de los estudiantes. Retos: Nuevas Tendencias En Educación Física, Deporte y Recreación, 66, 349–360. https://doi.org/10.47197/retos.v66.110067
Khalifa, M., Alrasheed, R., & Aldada, A. M. (2023). Education in Light of the Sustainable Development Goals in the Kingdom of Bahrain “An Analytical Study.” Journal of Statistics Applications and Probability, 12, 1419–1423. https://doi.org/10.18576/jsap/12S103
Laili, D. R., & Soedjarwo. (2017). Implementasi Kurikulum Cambridge Pada Sistem Pmebeljaran di MI Muslimat NU Pucang Sidoarjo. E-Journal Unesa, 7(3). https://ejournal.unesa.ac.id/index.php/inspirasi-manajemen-pendidikan/article/view/28717
Lesiana, N., Mulyadi, Aswadi Jaya, & Pratiwi, E. (2023). Classroom Interaction in Communicative Language Teaching of Secondary School. Esteem Journal of English Education Study Programme, 7(1), 61–71. https://doi.org/10.31851/esteem.v7i1.12661
Marleni, M., Jaya, A., & Hidayad, F. (2022). Integrated Curriculum Used in Learning English. Esteem: Journal of English Education Study, 5(2), 304–308. https://doi.org/10.31851/esteem.v5i2.8592
Miall, D. S., & Kuiken, D. (2019). Aspects of literary response: A new questionnaire. Research Teaching in English, 29(1), 37–58. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.58680/rte199515356
Muhammad, D., Umar, M., & Kamza, M. (2022). Impact of Cambridge curriculum implementation on history learning at SMA Fatih Bilingual School. Riwayat: Educational Journal of History and Humanities, 5(2), 351–360. https://doi.org/10.24815/jr.v5i2.27641
Neuman, W. L. (2019). Social research methods: Qualitative and Quantitative approaches. In Pearson (Seventh Ed). Pearson New International Edition. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Social-Research-Methods-Quantitative/dp/0205786839/ref=sr_1_5?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1461496914&sr=1-5&keywords=social+research+methods+qualitative+and+quantitative+approaches
Niswa, S. N., Lisan, K. H., & Kirana, S. N. (2024). Teachers’ and students’ perceptions on the implementation of the Cambridge curriculum in English subject. Al-Tarbiyah: Jurnal Pendidikan, 34(1). https://doi.org/10.24235/ath.v34
Patton, M. . (2020). Qualitative research & evaluation methods: Integrating theory and practice. Sage Publications.
Putri, A. D., Jaya, A., & Marleni, M. (2023). Exploring the Students’ Speaking Ability Based on Their Different Personalities. Esteem Journal of English Education Study Programme, 6(1), 10–16. https://doi.org/10.31851/esteem.v6i1.10203
Ramadan, B., & Widagsa, R. (2022). An EFL teacher perspective on implementation of dual curriculum (Cambridge and Indonesian K13 national curriculum) at Mutiara Persada School, Yogyakarta. English Language Teaching and English Linguistics Journal, 7(1).
Shocheb, A. (2023). Preventing the failure of independent curriculum. https://www.kompas.id/baca/english/2023/08/08/en-mencegah-kegagalan-kurikulum-merdeka.
Sugiyono. (2021). Metode Penelitian Pendidikan (Kuantitatif, Kualitatif, Kombinasi, R&D dan Penelitian Pendidikan) (A. Nuryanto (ed.); Kedua). ALFABETA, CV.
Trimadona, E., Andriani, R., Dwiputri Ferdi, S., & Sulthan Thaha Saifuddin Jambi, U. (2020). The Student Difficulties in the Implementation of Cambridge Curriculum at Al-Azhar Junior High School. Journal of Research in English Language Teaching JR-ELT, 4(1), 91 99. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.30631/jr elt.v4i2.57
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Aga Data

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Copyright Notice
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
In order to assure the highest standards for published articles, a peer review policy is applied. In pursue of the compliance with academic standards, all parties involved in the publishing process (the authors, the editors and the editorial board and the reviewers) agree to meet the responsibilities stated below in accordance to the Journal publication ethics and malpractice statement.
Duties of Authors:
- The author(s) warrant that the submitted article is an original work, which has not been previously published, and that they have obtained an agreement from any co-author(s) prior to the manuscript’s submission;
- The author(s) should not submit articles describing essentially the same research to more than one journal;
- The authors(s) make certain that the manuscript meets the terms of the Manuscript Submission Guideline regarding appropriate academic citation and that no copyright infringement occurs;
- The authors(s) should inform the editors about any conflict of interests and report any errors they subsequently, discover in their manuscript.
Duties of Editors and the Editorial Board:
- The editors, together with the editorial board, are responsible for deciding upon the publication or rejection of the submitted manuscripts based only on their originality, significance, and relevance to the domains of the journal;
- The editors evaluate the manuscripts compliance with academic criteria, the domains of the journal and the guidelines;
- The editors must at all times respect the confidentiality of any information pertaining to the submitted manuscripts;
- The editors assign the review of each manuscript to two reviewers chosen according to their domains of expertise. The editors must take into account any conflict of interest reported by the authors and the reviewers.
- The editors must ensure that the comments and recommendations of the reviewers are sent to the author(s) in due time and that the manuscripts are returned to the editors, who take the final decision to publish them or not.
Authors are permitted and encouraged to post online a pre-publication manuscript (but not the Publisher final formatted PDF version of the Work) in institutional repositories or on their Websites prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (see The Effect of Open Access). Any such posting made before acceptance and publication of the Work shall be updated upon publication to include a reference to the Publisher-assigned DOI (Digital Object Identifier) and a link to the online abstract for the final published Work in the Journal.











