TANTANGAN GURU DALAM PENERAPAN PENDEKATAN PEMBELAJARAN PAI BERBASIS PROYEK DI SMPN 1 SEMBAWA

Abstract

This study aims to examine and analyze the various challenges encountered by Islamic Religious Education (Pendidikan Agama Islam or PAI) teachers in implementing the Project Based Learning (PjBL) model at SMPN 1 Sembawa. The study is motivated by the observation that many teachers still have limited understanding of the PjBL framework, face insufficient school resources, and deal with students’ varying levels of learning readiness, which together hinder the effective application of project-based instruction. Adopting a qualitative descriptive approach, data were collected through semi-structured interviews, direct classroom observations, and document analysis. The main informant was Mr. Heri Saputra, S.Sos.I, a PAI teacher who has applied the PjBL approach in classroom practice. The findings indicate three dominant categories of challenges. First, internal factors such as teachers’ limited pedagogical understanding, low motivation, lack of readiness, and difficulty in designing collaborative and holistic assessments. Second, external factors including inadequate facilities, absence of professional development programs, insufficient project-based teaching materials, and heavy administrative responsibilities. Third, student-related factors such as differences in motivation, learning styles, and the need for more intensive guidance. Despite these barriers, teachers have successfully implemented several modest yet meaningful projects, including the creation of posters illustrating the Hajj rituals, the memorization of adhan and iqamah, and the production of Islamic poetry and calligraphy. The study concludes that continuous professional training, provision of adequate learning resources, and the establishment of peer-learning communities are essential to optimizing the implementation of Project Based Learning in Islamic Religious Education within the framework of Indonesia’s Merdeka Curriculum.