THE IMPORTANCE OF MULTICULTURAL EDUCATION IN PRIMARY SCHOOLS IN THE 5.0 ERA

Abstract

This study aims to examine the urgency of multicultural education in elementary schools in the 5.0 era, particularly at SDN 3 Metro Barat. Multicultural education is considered important in facing global challenges, where diversity in ethnicity, religion, and culture is increasingly evident in everyday life. However, the implementation of multicultural education in elementary schools is often still limited and poorly integrated into the curriculum. The issue raised in this study is how multicultural education can be a solution to increase understanding of diversity among elementary school students. The research method used is a qualitative approach with data collection techniques through in-depth interviews, participatory observation, and documentation analysis. Interviews were conducted with teachers and students, while observations focused on students' social interactions inside and outside the classroom. School documentation was analyzed to evaluate the extent to which multicultural education was integrated into the learning program. The results of the study show that although there is awareness of the importance of multicultural education, its implementation is still less than optimal. Teachers feel that they lack support in the form of specific modules and adequate training, while students tend to interact in culturally or religiously homogeneous groups. The discussion of this research reveals that feasible solutions include the development of structured multicultural education modules, training for teachers, and the development of extracurricular programs that focus on cross-cultural activities. In conclusion, multicultural education needs to be implemented more systematically to create an inclusive learning environment and prepare students to face the challenges of diversity in the 5.0 era.