Cultural Heritage Awareness and Appreciation among Senior High School Students of Parang National High School: Sulu Province in Focus

This study explored the degree of cultural heritage awareness and appreciation observed in senior high school learners at Parang National High School, with a focus on the cultural traditions of Sulu province. The research tool consisted of three sections: the first gathered demographic information, the second assessed the students' awareness of cultural heritage, and the third measured their appreciation of it, with each of the latter two sections containing 15 items. Descriptive statistics, such as frequency and percentage, were employed to address the first research question. Mean and standard deviation were used for the second, while t-tests (for gender) and ANOVA (for other demographic factors) were applied to examine differences in responses. Pearson’s r was utilized to examine the relationship between awareness and appreciation. Findings revealed that most respondents were 17 to 18 years old, primarily female, with nearly half having parents who completed only secondary education, and the majority coming from families with a monthly income of five thousand pesos or below. Students generally indicated a strong awareness of and respect for the cultural traditions and practices of Sulu. There were no notable variations detected in their levels of awareness and appreciation when categorized by demographic variables. A strong positive correlation was found between cultural awareness and appreciation, indicating that students with a higher level of awareness also tend to have greater appreciation for their cultural heritage.