ABSTRACT
This chapter presents the explicit teaching of character, citizenship, and cultural values that are widely prevalent in schools across Asia. The interesting observation was that in Asia citizenship education seemed to be characterized more by moral virtues and personal values rather than by civic and public values. Several pre-primary and primary schools demonstrated the importance given to the teaching of good character and family values, which were reflective of a deeper and more overarching national, cultural, and spiritual ethos. The teaching of citizenship values was additionally influenced by the postWorld War II attempts of some countries in Asia to build relationships between the state and civil society as they struggled to shed colonial rule and establish independent nation-states. Respect for elders who are parents, extended family members, friends, teachers, public leaders, or even strangers is an important value that is practiced actively and widely within Asian cultures.
