Hue (VNA) – Hue, a heritage-rich former imperial capital, rolled out its heritage education programme in 2019, offering students immersive “open classrooms” that promote direct interaction and experiential learning, deepening their understanding of history, culture and national identity while nurturing a love for their homeland.
The initiative also reflects the city’s efforts to implement Resolution No. 80-NQ/TW of the Politburo on developing Vietnamese culture.
Heritage brought to life in schools
In 2019, the Hue Department of Education and Training partnered with the Hue Monuments Conservation Centre to launch the programme, aiming to integrate the cultural, historical and artistic values of Hue’s heritage into school education, fostering a sense of pride, responsibility, and awareness in preserving and promoting cultural heritage.
From 2020 to 2025, the programme has been delivered through 25 thematic modules in diverse formats, combining classroom learning with hands-on experiences at heritage sites. Three additional creative experience themes have been introduced for students at different levels, with activities held at Phung Tien Palace in the Hue Imperial Citadel. The content is tailored to suit each grade level.
Nguyen Tan, Director of the municipal Department of Education and Training, said that between 2022 and 2025, the programme organised 1,790 visits for nearly 190,000 students and teachers to explore heritage sites and traditional culture. Heritage education has been fully integrated into the formal curriculum from grades 1 to 12, with local content making up 30–40% of teaching time, now adopted across all schools in the city. Digital transformation is also being advanced through e-learning resources, 3D materials, and virtual museum tours, improving access, particularly for students in remote areas.
At Nguyen Chi Dieu Secondary School, heritage education is implemented through 2–5 annual study visits to historical sites and museums, alongside integrated lessons featuring folk literature and performing arts such as Hue singing. The school also replaces some classroom-based theory with on-site learning, where students engage directly with artefacts, traditional musical instruments, and techniques such as Nguyen Dynasty woodblock printing and Sinh village painting, as well as royal architectural motifs.
Principal Hoang Thi Thuy said the programme has strengthened students’ sense of national pride and responsibility for preserving cultural values, transforming heritage and history into engaging, experience-based learning that encourages active exploration.
Heritage sites as “open classrooms”
Over the years, the Hue Monuments Conservation Centre has emerged as a national leader in school-linked heritage education, introducing innovative models that turn heritage sites into “open classrooms” and vivid teaching tools. Instead of conventional tours, students take part in on-site lessons at relics, studying Nguyen Dynasty history at the Imperial Citadel, architecture and fine arts at royal tombs and palaces, and court rituals, allowing them to engage directly with living heritage rather than textbooks.
The centre has also developed interactive programmes such as “Young Archaeologist” and “Young Nha Nhac (royal court music) Musician”, alongside hands-on activities like calligraphy, Nine Dynastic Urns rubbings, and colouring royal motifs. These initiatives encourage students to role-play, practise, and explore independently instead of passively receiving information.
In parallel, it has worked with schools to design heritage education tailored to each level, train teachers, develop age-appropriate materials, and organise competitions and activities on Hue heritage, positioning heritage as a formal educational resource rather than a recreational add-on.
Nguyen Phuoc Hai Trung, Deputy Director of the centre, said the programme’s greatest achievement is transforming heritage from an object of preservation into a dynamic educational tool. This approach fosters early appreciation among younger generations, building long-term awareness and future heritage audiences. With proper guidance, today’s students can become a core force in both preserving and revitalising heritage, contributing to a culturally rich and globally integrated Vietnam.
He added that Hue and Vietnam as a whole should continue promoting sustainable engagement with heritage by integrating it into education through digital tools and media, such as virtual tours, short videos, podcasts, and gamified content. Encouraging students to create heritage-related content on social media, alongside joint efforts by families, schools, and society to promote positive role models, will strengthen preservation efforts./.
