The UK possesses an inherent “anti-maths mindset” that is hampering efforts to improve numeracy, Rishi Sunak is to say as he relaunches his plan to make maths education until 18 compulsory.
In a speech to students, teachers and others in north London planned for Monday, the prime minister is expected to argue that a failure to consider numeracy as basic a skill as reading is costing the UK economy huge sums.
“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 was to say, according to extracts of the speech briefed in advance by Downing Street.
“I won’t sit back and allow this cultural sense that it’s OK to be bad at maths to put our children at a disadvantage. My campaign to transform our national approach to maths is not some ‘nice to have’. It’s about changing how we value maths in this country.”
In another speech, in early January, Sunak first set out his plans to make it compulsory for everyone to study maths in some form up to the age of 18, rather than the current minimum of 16.
