Why are we so proud of being ‘bad at maths’?

You don’t hear people boasting of not being able to read in the same way that people will proudly assert how poor they are at mathematics, writes Kit Yates

Poor numeracy can have hidden and wide-ranging impacts (Zuma/Shutterstock)

In front of an audience of students, teachers, education experts and business leaders, Rishi Sunak set out his plans to “transform our national approach to maths”.

Citing England’s “anti-maths mindset” the prime minister suggested: “We’ve got to start prizing numeracy for what it is – a key skill every bit as essential as reading.”

In an attempt to “not sit back and allow this cultural sense that it’s OK to be bad at maths” and to not “put our children at a disadvantage”, Sunak has commissioned an expert panel made up of mathematicians, education leaders and business representatives to figure out how to “fundamentally change our education system so it gives our young people the knowledge and skills they need”.