UK PM says 'anti-math mindset' costs UK billions of pounds

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: News websites
17 Apr 2023 18:23

Sunak looks to push math as a mandatory subject to be taught to students until the age of 18, which is currently set at 16.

Britain's Prime Minister Rishi Sunak delivers a speech on ending the "anti-maths mindset" to boost economic growth at the London Screen Academy (LSA) in London, Monday, April 17, 2023 (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth, pool)

According to UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, the country's innate "anti-maths mindset" costs it tens of billions of pounds in losses each year, hence requiring math instruction till the age of 18 will be beneficial to the economy.

"We’ve got to change this anti-maths mindset. We’ve got to start prizing numeracy for what it is – a key skill every bit as essential as reading," Sunak said.

Boosting numeracy rates aids the long-term interests of Britain, according to the prime minister.

"If we are going to grow the economy not just over the next two years, but the next 20, we simply cannot allow poor numeracy to cost our economy tens of billions a year or to leave people twice as likely to be unemployed as those with competent numeracy," he added.

Sunak believes that "maths is as important to the creative sector as it is to finance."

This is a *bizarre* watch. Billionaire Sunak at a homeless centre in London, using the opportunity to lie about levelling up (!)

Sunak: do you work in finance?
Homeless man: no, I’m homeless, actually.

He’s never served anyone but himself.

pic.twitter.com/EKGR1G7Vgz
— Snow (@Lookinupatstars) December 24, 2022

The head of government announced his intention to raise the minimum age for compulsory math education back in January 2023.

The UK currently lists math as a mandatory subject to be taught to students until the age of 16; Sunak's reform to the educational sector will have students learn some form of math until they turn 18.

Critiques of the multi-millionaire have called his plan unrealistic, as the UK educational system is understaffed and teachers have mobilized demanding better pay and working conditions.

The new legislation would overload current teachers with more schoolwork as Dr. Mary Bousted, joint general secretary of the National Education Union, said there was a "crisis of teacher retention as a result of low pay and excessive workload."

She said Sunak's aim was "laudable" and warned that his attempts would be "thwarted unless he faces up to the reality of the state of education in England".