Letter

In response to Australian foreign policy is in the doldrums

We downgrade foreign language teaching at our peril

Having just read Allan Patience’s fine article, I am even more perturbed than before, at Australia’s mindless acceptance of the educational philosophy that currently reveres STEM education as the be-all and end-all of education, and the current downgrading of language teaching and the humanities. Yes science, maths etc are very important, but those now downgraded studies are urgently needed. Australians need to tune in to our neighbours in Asia.

We’re getting all our news not just from Caucasian countries, but worse just from anglophone countries. We keep being told that China is the big threat and all out to invade us. That is supposed to our foreign policy preoccupation. And it is silly.

— Noel Wauchope from Melbourne