A report suggests up to 50% of the UK adult population has numeracy skills no better than an 11 year old. This is a significant handicap to the economy.
Improving the supply side of the economy requires, among other things, improving the capabilities of the working population. If the workforce cannot perform simple calculations then they have little chance of performing the complex tasks required of a competitive, skills based, economy.
So what is the solution? We could attempt to improve the numeracy skills of the existing adult workforce. This is unlikely to meet with much success and could absorb a great many resources. The alternative is to improve the numeracy skills of school leavers.
Currently only 15% of UK students study mathematics after GCSE. That makes the UK unusual among developed nations (where the figures range from 50% to 100%) and we may have to consider sacrificing some higher skill development post GCSE to allow further training in mathematics. However it would seem that it is more likely that the numeracy figures represent a massive failure of mathematics teaching to age 16. Surely any successful programme would ensure a competent level of numeracy?
The solution, whatever it is, will take two generations to put things right. A frightening prospect, but an essential one if the UK workforce is to be fit for purpose.
I personally think that making people carry on with Maths after GCSE is a good idea. Obviously the percentage of people in the UK carrying on maths after GCSE shows us that in general a large percentage of our population don't particularly enjoy maths or think it's worth carrying on after GCSEs but I do think that educating school leavers (to a certain degree) in post-gcse maths will be beneficial to the whole economy. Maybe making those who are evidently good at Maths or enjoy it study A-Level maths and those who would have dropped it after GCSE would be forced to take maths lessons with a curriculum halfway in between GCSE and A-Level.
ReplyDeleteIf we are to improve our international competitiveness then we need to have a workforce to match our competitors. Having 50% of our adult population with numeracy skills no better than year 7s is shocking and there is no doubt that something really has to be done about it
I disagree with the notion of making Maths either compulsory or encouraged at A level because this may have a detrimental effect on their other subjects, and maybe we should let the figures speak for themselves, and maths may just not be interesting to these people.However, an alternative may be to increase the standard of teaching in primary and secondary schools to make a more competent workforce in the future. Specialisation is a good thing, and if jobs don't require numeracy skills, why bother teaching any harder maths, such as differentation?
ReplyDeleteI'm really liking this post, I think now it is clear that maths actually does help us! I think it's a good idea for maths to be taught past GCSE, either that or bump up the difficulty of GCSEs. I just think that alot of people are not interesed in the subject, therefore when having the opportunity to drop it, they do. I think the comparison here is so important, 15% compared to 50-100%, that just shows the UK is slacking seriously. How can we be that far behind and expect to be making movements?
ReplyDeleteI agree with this article, in terms of the inefficiency of the UK's workforce is mainly due to the lack in secondary fundamental knowledge, not just in maths but in subjects which are equally important such as english. I think it is very necessary for everyone who is working to have knowledge of maths and also english at the standard of GCSE, at least. Post GCSE, not particularly necessary, depending on their career choice, but GCSE should be standard and obligatory. These are skills that surely everyone would be using daily: having to communicate eloquently with your employers/employees or having to add up numbers here and there.
ReplyDeleteIf the solution to this problem will take two generations, then so be it, eventually we would achieve a well educated work force that have problem solving and communication abilities, and hopefully this will result in an inefficient and intelligent workforce contributing well towards the economy. However I think the best way to go about improving numeracy skills of individuals is to start from the beginning, primary education. Primary schools should ensure that the children are regularly practising and being tested in maths and english, and fully understand all that is necessary, before they go on to higher education. Because if the children do not understand the basics, (their timetables and how to add, subtract etc) then they will be put off when secondary school work gets harder. This has a knock-on effect and they end up performing poorly altogether, and then leave school with minimal knowledge on maths/english. If we want to make the greatest change, we need to go back to the root of the problem, and start with the beginning of a child's education.
I believe that students at present and in the future have a choice as to what they aspire to be when older, and in turn if they do not wish to take Maths further than GCSE that is there voluntary decision. It is no fault but the adults working in the current labour force that they are awful with figures, and so we can only make sure that the future is bright. Quite rightly put, the solution will take two years. Clearly by the figures that only 15% of students take Math on from GCSE show that the teaching maybe not as good. I was certainly never tempted by a maths a level, and that wasn't specifically because i was unable. I believe if this is such a problem, teachers should be taught in a way that makes students more appealed to such a tedious subject, and so we can become more competitive against different countries economy's. I am almost certain that even if little is done, the present day students who will later become adults have more sophisticated knowledge than there parents even at this age.
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