In many Asian countries, like Malaysia and China, Jazz is an important part of education, since it helps students express themselves with the help of improvisation. Moreover, Jazz music is also democratic, since all the players have to listen out for each other to keep the harmony going. Everyone gets a turn to improvise and then the students learn to also step back and let others have their sequences. Another important aspect of music for education is the fact that students doing music together do not necessarily have to speak the same language. Hence, Jazz music is an opportunity to get an insight into different cultures and to get to know another person without even speaking the same language.
source: http://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/jazz-education-in-asia/3825400.html