Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Boost to Asian studies in schools urged

Updated at 9:41 am on 17 March 2010

The Secondary Principals' Association says it is worrying to see a lack of Asian topics being taught in schools, but it's up to the Government to change this.

A report commissioned by the Asia New Zealand Foundation suggests one third of secondary school heads of department have included Asian issues in their teaching over the past two years.

The foundation's director of research and policy, Andrew Butcher, says students without Asian awareness will be unable to engage with the world's fastest growing economic region when they enter the workforce.

Mr Butcher says more students are learning French than all other languages combined, and last year more studied Latin than Mandarin.

Secondary Principals' Association president Peter Gall says the Government should take responsibility for increasing Asian topics in the curriculum.

He says there was a time when schools played their part in forging greater relations with Japan, and the time is now right to do so with other Asian countries.

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