Prime Minister Rishi Sunak wants to "bring maths to life" for school students by having them study the angle of free kicks.
The PM made the announcement as part of his plans to review how mathematics is taught in English schools. Sunak believes that making maths a greater priority in the nation's educational system could be key to boosting the economy in years to come.
Sunak's 'Maths to 18' plan would see the subject become "a key skill every bit as essential as reading" in schools. He hopes that all students will want to study the subject until 18, without the need to make it compulsory.
Crucial to fostering a love of maths, Sunak believes children need to tackle more interesting and enjoyable number problems – such as calculating the angles of free kicks or the speed of a Formula 1 car. In FFT's opinion, watching David Beckham or Roberto Carlos curling 25-yard stunners into the top corner is a perfect way to spend a maths lesson... even if the maths part does threaten to ruin the fun sooner or later.
Mr Sunak feels an "anti-maths" mindset is causing many children to be left behind by their peers in other nations, and insists that "even basic numeracy skills" could see average earnings jump by £1,600 per annum in future.
"Put simply, without a solid foundation in maths our children risk being left behind," he said. "Shut out of careers they aspire to and the lives that they want to lead.’
"We’re expecting [a dedicated government task force] to come back to us about July with a kind of sense of what’s the curriculum we should be looking at for 16 to 18. Then, once we have that you’d expect us later in the year to come back and say ‘well, this is how we will implement it, over what timescale and we want to get it right’."
