2023 compulsory mathematics plan
On January 3, 2023, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Rishi Sunak announced that he would propose to make mathematics compulsory in schools until the age of 18.[1][2][3]
Background
[change | change source]Mathematics is compulsory on the curriculum for all pupils in England up to age 16,[4] like in Spain.[5]
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the teaching of mathematics had suffered the consequences of online education.[6] General Certificate of Secondary Education poor results in mathematics over the past years was also a reason to promote this measure.[7]
Rishi Sunak said in his speech:
We’re one of the few countries not to require our children to study some form of maths up to the age of 18. 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, letting our children out into that world without those skills, is letting our children down. [...] But we will work with the sector to move towards all children studying some form of maths to 18.
— Rishi Sunak, PM speech on building a better future: 4 January 2023, Government of the United Kingdom[8]
Importance
[change | change source]In 2021, a University of Oxford study concluded that the lack of mathematics education after the age of 16 negatively affects adolescent brain and cognitive development.[9]
Criticism
[change | change source]Mathematician and biologist Kit Yates from the University of Bath said in The Guardian an that "Sunak’s plan for compulsory maths doesn’t add up".[10]
References
[change | change source]- ↑ Smith, Elliot. "UK PM Rishi Sunak to propose compulsory math for students up to 18". CNBC. Retrieved 2023-01-31.
- ↑ "Rishi Sunak to propose maths for all pupils up to age 18". the Guardian. 2023-01-03. Retrieved 2023-01-31.
- ↑ "¿Deberían ser las matemáticas obligatorias hasta los 18 años?". Diario 16 (in Spanish). Retrieved 2023-01-31.
- ↑ "Studying maths to 18 – what you need to know - The Education Hub". educationhub.blog.gov.uk. Retrieved 2023-01-31.
- ↑ Zafra, Ignacio (2021-09-27). "Más optativas en la ESO y dos nuevas modalidades en Bachillerato: así cambian los institutos con la reorganización que prepara el Gobierno". El País (in Spanish). Retrieved 2023-01-31.
- ↑ Tyaningsih, R Y; Arjudin; Prayitno, S; Jatmiko; Handayani, A D (2021-03-01). "The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mathematics learning in higher education during learning from home (LFH): students' views for the new normal". Journal of Physics: Conference Series. 1806 (1): 012119. doi:10.1088/1742-6596/1806/1/012119. ISSN 1742-6588. S2CID 233850895.
- ↑ "The UK wants pupils to study math for longer, but who'll teach them?". Quartz. 2023-01-05. Retrieved 2023-01-31.
- ↑ "PM speech on building a better future: 4 January 2023". GOV.UK. Retrieved 2023-01-31.
- ↑ "Lack of maths education negatively affects adolescent brain and cognitive development | University of Oxford". www.ox.ac.uk. Retrieved 2023-01-31.
- ↑ "As a mathematician, I fear Rishi Sunak's plan for compulsory maths doesn't add up | Kit Yates". the Guardian. 2023-01-04. Retrieved 2023-01-31.
