"Poor Math Skills Cause Big Economic Losses"… UK Prime Minister Pushes for Expanded Compulsory Education

Former Analyst and Hedge Fund Manager Prime Minister Sunak
"Let's End Anti-Mathematical Thinking" Education Until Adulthood

"Numbers are as essential as reading. Mathematics is necessary for survival, not for becoming a leader or a wealthy person."

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has ignited the debate over expanding compulsory mathematics education. This year, he has repeatedly proposed extending compulsory math education from the current age of 16 to 18.

Rishi Sunak, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. [Image source=Yonhap News]

According to major foreign media on the 17th (local time), Prime Minister Sunak raised the topic of 'mathematics' during a speech to students and teachers in North London. He opened by saying, “We cannot tolerate the annual loss of hundreds of billions of dollars to the economy due to insufficient math skills.”

He argued that “to allow the economy to grow, we must end anti-mathematical thinking” and insisted that compulsory math education should be extended to students aged 17 and above. He explained the reason by stating, “Without math skills, income is low.”

8 million UK adults have math skills lower than those of 9-year-old children

Earlier, in his New Year's speech in January this year, Prime Minister Sunak announced that he would consider extending compulsory math education from the current age of 16 to 18.

At that time, he said, “In a world where statistics underpin everything, future jobs will require more analytical skills than ever before,” adding, “If we send our children into the world unprepared, they will become frustrated.”

According to data released by Sunak around the same time, approximately 8 million UK adults have math skills below the expected level of a 9-year-old child. In particular, about 60% of low-income students were diagnosed as lacking basic math skills even at age 16.

Furthermore, according to the UK BBC, based on exams taken by 15-year-old students, the UK's math achievement in 2019 ranked around 18th in the world, and it is known to decline sharply after that age.

In the UK’s secondary education system, known as Sixth Form, students select 3 to 4 subjects to prepare for the A-Level exams, which correspond to university entrance exams. Since mathematics is not a compulsory subject, many students tend to drop math starting from this stage.

Also, many students enter society early after completing education only up to age 16 without attending Sixth Form, so in reality, about half of UK students aged 17 and above do not have to study mathematics at all.

'Lack of practicality' criticism, but Prime Minister's resolve firm... "Reason for entering politics"

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

However, the opposition Labour Party criticized the expansion plan, saying, “Without more teachers, math policies for those under 18 are nothing but empty promises,” pointing out the lack of practicality in extending compulsory math education. According to the BBC, there are also divided opinions within the government due to insufficient preparation.

According to a 2021 survey conducted by the UK National Foundation for Educational Research targeting UK secondary schools, 45% of schools reported that non-specialist teachers have taught math classes due to a shortage of math teachers.

Given the Prime Minister’s strong conviction, there is a possibility that the expansion of compulsory math education will be actively pursued despite disagreements within the opposition and the government. The UK government plans to announce research results on raising the compulsory math education age around July through an advisory committee composed of mathematicians, education experts, and business representatives.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Sunak graduated from the University of Oxford, earned an MBA from Stanford University in the United States, and has experience using mathematics in his career as an analyst and hedge fund manager at Goldman Sachs. He has also said, “Providing children with the highest possible level of education is the reason I entered politics.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.