SCHOOL kids will be made to study maths until they are 18 under plans Rishi Sunak wants to implement.
The PM is set to lay out the major education shakeup he envisages on Wednesday as he sets his sights on combating high rates of innumeracy in England.
Rishi Sunak wants all children to study maths until they are 18
The UK remains one of the only countries in the world that does not require children to study some form of maths up to the age of 18.
As he sets out his priorities for the year in his first speech of 2023, Mr Sunak will say that with the “right plan”, he sees “no reason” why “we cannot rival the best education systems in the world”.
He is expected to say: “This is personal for me. Every opportunity I’ve had in life began with the education I was so fortunate to receive.
“And it’s the single most important reason why I came into politics: to give every child the highest possible standard of education.
“Thanks to the reforms we’ve introduced since 2010, and the hard work of so many excellent teachers, we’ve made incredible progress.
“With the right plan – the right commitment to excellence – I see no reason why we cannot rival the best education systems in the world”.
Mr Sunak is expected to commit to starting the work of introducing maths to 18 in this Parliament and finishing it in the next.
He will put emphasis on the importance of numeracy, stressing “our children’s jobs will require more analytical skills”.
The PM will say: “One of the biggest changes in mindset we need in education today is to reimagine our approach to numeracy.
“Right now, just half of all 16 to 19-year-olds study any maths at all. Yet in a world where data is everywhere and statistics underpin every job, our children’s jobs will require more analytical skills than ever before.
“And letting our children out into the world without those skills, is letting our children down”.
The Government does not apparently intend on making maths A-level compulsory for all 16-year-olds and further detail are set to be revealed.
Ministers are instead exploring existing routes, such as the Core Maths qualifications and T-Levels, as well as more innovative options.
