英国人算数太差，首相宣布：数学必须学到18岁！

刚开年，英国首相里希·苏纳克（Rishi Sunak）就宣布，计划要让英格兰学生学习数学，直到18岁。苏纳克称，此举是为了解决英格兰学生计算能力不足的问题，让他们更好适应职场。

Pupils in England will study maths up until the age of 18 under plans unveiled by Rishi Sunak. In his first major intervention on education since entering office, the UK prime minister will set out his aim to ensure young people are better equipped for the "jobs of the future".

目前，英格兰学生可以在考完类似于中考的GCSE（The General Certificate of Secondary Education）后，不再学习数学。英国仍是全球不要求学生在18岁之前学习数学的国家之一。

UK remains one of the few countries in the world not to require children to study some form of maths up to the age of 18.

图源：CFP

据统计，英格兰约有800万成年人的数学水平与小学生相当。目前，16到19岁学生中大约只有一半的人在学习数学，且这一问题在家庭条件不好的学生中尤甚。

Around eight million adults in England have the numeracy skills of primary school children, according to government figures. Currently only around half of 16 to 19 year-old study maths in some form. The problem is particularly acute for disadvantaged pupils, 60 percent of whom do not have basic maths skills at age 16. ‍

▌计划有了，但数学老师不太够……

苏纳克刚表态，不少英国人又有了新的担忧，因为他们根本没有那么多数学老师……

2021年，英格兰公立中学有约3.5万名数学教师，少于英语老师和科学老师的人数。根据英国媒体报道，尽管数学教师的数量比十年前增加了9%，但仍然有很大缺口。一项对英格兰中学的调查发现，2021年，有45%的受访者表示，会使用非专业的数学教师。

In 2021, there were 35,771 maths teachers in state secondary schools in England. Maths teacher numbers are 9% higher than in 2012, but shortages have been reported across the country. A survey of secondary schools in England found that 45% of respondents used non-specialist teachers to deliver some maths lessons in 2021.

图源：CFP

▌英国人的算数到底有多差

英国人的算数到底有多差，从生活中可见一斑。英国的超市中时常出现令人哭笑不得的“促销”，打完折的商品，比打折前还要贵。

不光英国民众，许多英国的议员数学成绩也不尽如人意。2022年，英国教育改革组织“不止分数 （More Than A Score） ”曾发起一次考试，在小学生的“监考”下，一群英国议员参加了小学生毕业阶段的考试，结果 只有44%的议员在数学上达到了小学生的预期水平。

British MPs and peers tasked with completing a year 6 SATs exam have scored lower results on average than the country’s 10-year-olds. Only 44 percent of the cross-party group of parliamentarians dubbed the Westminster Class of 2022 achieved the expected standard in maths.

图源：推特

所以，也难怪英国首相对国民的数学能力忧心忡忡……

苏纳克在新年演讲中表示：“当今世界数据无处不在，几乎每个工作都需要数据统计能力。我们下一代的工作将比以往任何时候都需要分析技能。如果让孩子们毫无准备地踏入这样的世界，那无异于是让他们输在起跑线。”

"In a world where data is everywhere and statistics underpin every job, our children’s jobs will require more analytical skills than ever before," the prime minister said. "And letting our children out into the world without those skills, is letting them down."

编辑：史雪凡

实习生：侯琼

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