HYDERABAD: British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has proposed to make mathematics compulsory for all students in England up to the age of 18 years. According to him, this would help young people ‘in a world where data is everywhere and statistics underpin every job’. Even as the decision has drawn mixed opinions, teachers in the city believe it would be an idea worth the attempt.
Prof V. Uma Maheshwar, who teaches mechanical engineering at Osmania University, said that mathematics has many practical benefits in everyday life, which most people fail to see.
"It helps develop specific areas of the brain and improve students' analytical and reasoning skills. The complexities and level of math taught in India are higher than most countries, which explain why Indians take policy making positions in top companies. Streamlining this would only mean better global careers, so why not!" he added.
According to Neelakantha Bhanu, more popularly known as the world’s fastest human calculator, making math compulsory in India will be a step in the right direction.
"However, it is important to also focus on revamping the way the subject is taught in the country, especially because math is often seen as a boring and abstract subject. From balancing a budget to navigating with GPS, math plays a vital role in helping us make a sense of the world around us. That is why it is important to not only make it compulsory in schools, but it is also extremely important to teach real-life applications," opined the founder-CEO of Bhanzu, a Hyderabad-based math edtech startup.
Some other math teachers like Amala V.T. said that because mathematics is currently taught in India as a compulsory subject up to Class 10, while another couple of years more may not make much of a difference. "If anything, it could only add more pressure on students, who do not enjoy it. For those not keen on a career in math are well equipped with basics until high school that help them in their everyday life. What's taught beyond 10th grade are A-level math, which such students do not need to be forced into," she explained.
