Vol. 2 No. Issue: 1, March, 1069-1088 (2025): A Comparative Analysis of Educational Curriculum Systems: Perspectives on Structure, Content, and Pedagogical Approaches

ABSTRACT: China is famous for its very high-quality education; it has a very detailed and 
structured education system, from primary to university. China also has a culture that values 
education, so its people care and try hard to improve the quality of education. This research 
aims to compare curriculum systems in Indonesia and China. This research method is a 
literature review carried out by collecting relevant sources and using a descriptive analysis 
approach. The results of this research are: 1) Both Indonesia and China have carried out 
curriculum reforms to follow society's needs. 2) Indonesia has a 12-year compulsory education 
program, while China has nine years. 3) Despite their differences, national education goals in 
both countries are the same: to develop balanced, qualified, and characterized individuals to 
contribute to national development. 4) The government determines the content/material taught 
in both countries at the elementary-middle school level. However, China does not have 
mandatory subjects at the high school level, while the government still determines Indonesia. 5) 
Learning strategies in Indonesia include group, project, and inquiry-based learning; China has 
unique strategies, such as implementing naps during learning. 6) National exams are no longer 
implemented in Indonesia, while there is still a national exam known as the Gaokao Exam in 
China. 
KEYWORDS: Curriculum, China, Indonesia, Education