2 + 2 = 5

So, Dishi Rishi has decided more maths is needed to get on in life.  Any why not?  Everyone should be able to work out how many £1 tomato plants they can get for a tenner, know that when the big hand reaches 12 it’s gin o’clock and figure out that if the 10.15 from Portsmouth didn’t arrive then its 20 minutes late. 

 

Please sir, can I have some more maths?

Maths will also enable the average punter to work out that their monthly salary isn’t going to cover all those inflated bills, that the difference between £13,000 and £12,570 equals tax and that Two Fat Ladies means 88 in bingo lingo.  Whoops I don’t think we can say ‘fat’ anymore, we’ll have to change it to Two Voluptuously Assigned Females at Birth.

 

'Fat' or 'Ladies' - use these terms with caution

What is he thinking?  Everyone hates maths.  I still have nightmares thinking of all those algebraic equations I could never get my head round even with extra tuition.  The voice of Jock, our Scottish Maths Master, shouting ‘dunderheads’ when no-one in class knew the answer to what he deemed a straightforward calculation but was in fact the formula for rocket fuel is still booming out in the deepest recesses of my mind.  Thinking of maths lessons still gives me the shivers even after all these years.  

In any case you can make people take all the extra maths lessons in the universe but they’ll still figure that 2+2=5 in their world.  Really Rishi this is not the greatest of moves to encourage the young future electorate to vote Tory, is it?  Or the parents of said future electorate who already struggle to cope with maths homework as it is – yep, no tick in the Tory ballot box from them either.

 

What to do with all that extra maths knowledge says Careermonk

If you want the future electorate to grow up numerate then perhaps revisiting the existing curriculum and how it is delivered is the way forward.  Replace algebra or trigonometry with basic life maths that teaches young people the difference between annual/monthly compounding interest, household budgeting, managing a mortgage or pension savings and tax. 

Yeah even Pink Floyd hated maths ….

         We don’t need maths education

         We don’t need MORE thought control

         No calculations in the classroom

         Politicians leave them kids alone