Students’ awareness and attitudes toward archaeological conservation: Bujang Valley

Purpose Like other components of cultural heritage, the preservation of archaeological sites is important because they constitute a unique and irreplaceable legacy, something that has been received from the ancestors and that should be passed on to future generations. The purpose of this paper is to explore how well secondary school students in Bujang Valley, Malaysia, understand the concept and value of archaeology and to what extent they are interested in archaeology. Design/methodology/approach A questionnaire survey was administered to 110 students, aged 14 and 15 years, from secondary schools in the Bujang Valley area. Findings The results showed that most of the students were interested in archaeology and had a moderately accurate understanding of what archaeology entailed. Their main information sources included museum visits and participating in local archaeological projects. Participants demonstrated a sense of archaeological responsibility in objecting to the illegal trafficking of artefacts. Practical implications Moreover, these findings have significant implications for heritage and education authorities in the Bujang Valley in terms of planning for educational programmes to raising the awareness of local communities. Originality/value These findings expand upon the knowledge of students’ attitudes towards archaeology.