Teaching about Asia

Abstract

Most European teachers would agree that Asia is an important part of the world. Further, many European educators would concur with a majority of the arguments for teaching about Asia put forward in the second chapter of this study [not reprinted here—Ed.]. Why then does Asia not play a more important role in European classrooms? The answer, of course, is that numerous problems and constraints stand in the way of expanding and improving coverage of Asia in schools. In examining these, we might begin with the words of that great Asian, Chairman Mao Tse-tung, who said that "in the problem of changing education, it is the teachers who are the main problem."