Mirror readers oppose Rishi Sunak's plans for pupils to study maths until they are 18

The Prime Minister said learning maths will leave pupils "better equipped for the jobs of the future" in his first speech of 2023. But what did our Mirror readers do you think?

Rishi Sunak said he wanted to help young people leave school "better equipped for the jobs of the future" (

Image: BBC/AFP via Getty Images

Rishi Sunak announced last week that he wanted all pupils in England to study maths until the age of 18 to better prepare them for the modern world of work. But how did Mirror readers respond to the Prime Minister?

As part of his first speech of 2023, the former chancellor said he wanted to “reinvent our approach to numeracy” and help young people leave school “better equipped for the jobs of tomorrow”.

Government should not make A-level maths compulsory for all 16-year-olds, but is 'exploring existing pathways, such as basic maths qualifications and T-levels, as well as more innovative options' .< /p>

Staggering figures have revealed that around eight million adults in England have the numeracy skills of primary school children, while 60% of disadvantaged pupils lack basic maths skills by 16.< /p>

We asked Mirror readers if they agreed with the Prime Minister's plans for children to study maths after the age of 16, and 78% of respondents opposed the idea .

This opinion also dominated the comments section, as one reader wrote, "No! Not everyone is 'academic'. Bring learnings back and let people learn on the job. Beneficial especially for nursing, etc.”

Another added: "I would prefer that teenagers and young adults be aware of meaningful things. Information on mortgages and pensions would be better. Then we can look at crucial issues such as voting. Why c matters and how to vote without falling victim to the wishes of billionaires and tax evaders."

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