Love-Based Curriculum In Early Childhood Education: A Philosophical Literature Review From The Ministry Of Religious Affairs

Abstract

The Love-Based Curriculum (KBC) launched by the Ministry of Religious Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia in 2025 represents a paradigm shift in education towards a humanistic and spiritual approach, particularly in early childhood education (PAUD). This study aims to analyze the philosophical basis and conceptual framework of KBC in the context of PAUD. The research method used a literature review with content analysis of Ministry of Religious Affairs policy documents, Islamic education literature, and humanistic education theory. The results of the study show that KBC is built on three main foundations, namely: (1) rahmah ilahiyyah as the theological basis of education, (2) empathetic pedagogical relationships between teachers and children as the core of learning, and (3) the holistic integration of cognitive, affective, and spiritual dimensions. These findings confirm that the CBC functions not only as a pedagogical approach but also as an ethical-spiritual framework that reorients the goals of education, the role of teachers, and the learning climate in early childhood education. Thus, the Love-Based Curriculum has the potential to become a conceptual model for humanistic, religious, and transformative early childhood education