ROLE AND SIGNIFICANCE OF INTEGRATING HERITAGE EDUCATION IN TEACHING CIVIC EDUCATION AT LOWER SECONDARY SCHOOLS

Abstract

In the context of globalization and educational innovation under the 2018 General Education Program, the integration of cultural heritage education into the teaching of Civic Education at the lower secondary level has become an urgent issue. This integration aims to foster a generation of students with a strong cultural foundation and the ability to adapt to modern society. This study employs qualitative methods, synthesizing techniques such as document analysis, analysis-synthesis, and logical-historical approaches to examine the role and significance of this integration. The results indicate that integrating cultural heritage education not only enriches the content of Civic Education but also effectively develops citizen qualities (patriotism, social responsibility) and core competencies (self-control and self-learning, communication and cooperation, problem-solving and creativity) for students. However, this integration process still faces numerous challenges, including a lack of systematic content integration, limited professional capacity of teachers, and difficulties in evaluating integration effectiveness. The study identifies issues that need to be addressed to enhance the quality of integration, contributing to the training of a generation of citizens with deep cultural identity, critical thinking, and the ability to integrate internationally, thereby meeting the requirements for the nation's sustainable development.