Multiculturalism and moral education in Asian school curricula: a scoping review

In the age of growing cultural diversity, multiculturalism is viewed as serving a moral educational function in fostering intercultural harmony. Focusing on Asian contexts, this scoping review aims to explore how moral values are taught within the context of multiculturalism in school curricula. This review was guided by the JBI Manual and PRISMA-ScR. We searched Web of Science, EBSCOhost, and ProQuest for English-language journal articles published between 2005 and 2025 on formal kindergarten-to-secondary curricula integrating multiculturalism and moral education. Of 1,089 records screened, 45 articles were included and synthesised using four curriculum components, with sub-categories developed inductively. Integration was most evident in values education, language, and arts subjects, primarily through collaborative activities promoting moral and character values and intercultural competence. Assessment focused mainly on attitudes and values, with limited attention to knowledge, skills, and behaviours. Regional differences were mainly shaped by local policy, demographic, and historical contexts. By synthesising dispersed evidence from moral education and curriculum studies, this review provides a broader perspective on teaching moral education across curriculum in multiculturalism contexts, informing context-responsive curriculum development and future research on teaching strategies, student outcomes, and underrepresented Asian contexts.