Education Policy, Power Relations, and Structural Inequality in Indonesia (2019–2025): A Critical Policy Analysis of the Merdeka Belajar Reform

Abstract

Educational policy in Indonesia has never emerged in a space free from political interests. This study aims to analyze the relationship between political power dynamics and Indonesian education policy during the 2019–2025 period, as well as to identify structural factors that hinder the realization of educational equity. The study employs a qualitative approach using a policy analysis design. Data were analyzed through three complementary techniques: content analysis of regulatory documents using the Bardach and Patashnik policy analysis matrix, critical discourse analysis based on Fairclough’s model to uncover power relations embedded in policy texts, and source and theoretical triangulation to ensure the validity of the findings. The findings reveal that although the Merdeka Belajar (Freedom to Learn) policy introduces significant paradigmatic reforms, its implementation is consistently constrained by four structural factors: disparities in regional capacity, unequal digital infrastructure, recurrent institutional fragmentation, and weak evidence-based evaluation systems. The policy narrative, which consistently emphasizes equity and justice, is not matched by proportional resource distribution, thereby widening the gap between developed and underdeveloped regions. This condition directly affects the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4, where persistently high levels of learning poverty indicate that Indonesia is not yet on a sufficient trajectory toward inclusive and equitable education by 2030.