Ten lesson plans in the Philippines have been selected to bring living heritage into regular school subjects. Teachers submitted almost 100 eligible applications within three weeks, despite heavy rain and flooding in parts of the country. The selected ideas use knowledge from local communities as a teaching resource. Rather than adding a separate subject, they connect familiar traditions with lessons already on the timetable.
One plan uses shoemaking in Marikina to teach financial mathematics, linking practical skills with costs and business decisions. Another explores chemistry through the preparation of a traditional food called sinamgong. Over the coming months, the selected teachers and schools will receive small grants to test and improve their plans in classrooms. The trials should provide practical examples for other schools, while strengthening connections with people who keep local traditions alive.