Rishi Sunak wants to make math compulsory for UK students until 18

The UK government is planning to make it compulsory for students to study some form of math until the age of 18.

The announcement regarding the same was made by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in a speech on Wednesday. Sunak said that he wants everyone to "feel more confident" when it comes to handling and managing their finances.

"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," he said.

He further stated that only half of 16 to 19-year-olds study math and that we need to "reimagine our approach to numeracy."

In a statement before the actual speech was released, Sunak's office highlighted that around 8 million adults in England have the numeracy skills of primary school children.

However, no concrete plans have been released by the government yet. It is a developing policy. The government does not anticipate being able to implement it before the next general election.

It also does not plan to make math at A-Level compulsory for all 16-year-olds. Further details will be released in due course.

"With the right plan - the right commitment to excellence - I see no reason why we cannot rival the best education systems in the world," said Sunak. He said math will equip people with the necessary quantitative and statistical skills needed for jobs today and in the future.

Experts welcomed Sunak's ambitious approach, adding that the plan is "currently unachievable" because the country has a severe shortage of math teachers, according to the BBC.

Prime Minister Sunak has made his government's priorities clear since he took office last year. Wednesday's speech made it clear that education remains one of the top priorities for his government.

Last year, the government announced its plan to invest an additional £2 billion in schools in 2023 and another £2 billion the year after.