There must be research into this? I am from west EU and east EU always did much better in math. I had a few companies over there and my colleagues there told me

There must be research into this? I am from west EU and east EU always did much better in math. I had a few companies over there and my colleagues there told me that you study to make money which means you won't study music, languages, history etc. In NL where I grew up, people basically studied for fun and 'the job' comes automatically; I guess (!) Asia would be the same mostly?