Exploring Batak Toba Local Wisdom Through Oral Literature in Optimizing Curriculum Merdeka Belajar

The consistent implementation of the independent learning curriculum in Indonesia is a major challenge for education today. The Merdeka Belajar Curriculum needs to be flexible and adaptable to local needs, culture, and environment, considering the country's cultural diversity. By doing so, it can provide each school with the freedom to adjust learning to suit its context. To achieve this, the Batak Toba local wisdom can be utilized to provide a rich cultural context in the independent learning curriculum, incorporating cultural values, traditions, and local history in learning. This approach can help strengthen students' identity, instill a sense of pride in their cultural heritage, and make learning more relevant to their daily lives. Oral literature is one of the appropriate means to strengthen and preserve culture. Therefore, the use of oral literature as part of the Toba Batak local wisdom in the Merdeka Belajar Curriculum can provide a space for students to understand, appreciate, and absorb their cultural value. Indeed, by utilizing Batak Toba's local wisdom through oral literature, the Kurikulum Merdeka Belajar becomes more diverse, and inclusive, and provides opportunities for a more holistic learning approach that is culturally relevant.