继在年初的演讲中表示“英国人要学习数学到18岁”(戳这里回顾)后,英国首相苏纳克近日又针对英国人的数学问题发言。他重新公布了相关数学教育改革愿景,并且批评“反数学心态(anti-maths mindset)”。
当地时间17日,苏纳克在伦敦一所大学演讲时表示,“反数学心态”影响经济发展。
Rishi Sunak has said an "anti-maths mindset" is holding the economy back.
他在演讲中还批评“数学不好也没关系的文化认知”,认为这样的理念会让孩子们无法获得在工作中所需的技能,从而“处于劣势”。
In his speech, Sunak criticised the "cultural sense that it's okay to be bad at maths" - explaining that it puts children "at a disadvantage" for failing to equip them with skills needed in a workplace.
“我们要改变这种反数学心态。我们要开始重视计算能力,这是一项重要的技能,跟阅读一样基础,”苏纳克说,“这事关改变我们这个国家如何对待数学的看法。”
"We've got to change this anti-maths mindset. We've got to start prizing numeracy for what it is - a key skill every bit as essential as reading," Sunak said, "It's about changing how we value maths in this country."
苏纳克补充道:“我们不能坐视糟糕的计算能力造成每年上百亿的经济损失……我们要从根本上改变教育系统,给予年轻人所需要的知识和技能,这也是我们商业上所需要的,从而让我们可以和世界最好的企业来竞争。”
He added: "We simply cannot allow poor numeracy to cost our economy tens of billions a year...We have to fundamentally change our education system, so it gives our young people the knowledge and skills they need - and that our businesses need - to compete with the best in the world."
此外,苏纳克还宣布成立专家小组,协助政府研究数学教育问题,专家成员包括数学家、教育界领导以及商界代表等。
An advisory group made up of mathematicians, education leaders and business representatives will be set up to assist the government.
苏纳克的宣言得到了教育领域的部分支持,但也有人指出落实相关政策需要更多专业教师以及更多资金。
There has been some support for Sunak's announcement across the education sector, but critics have warned that in order to deliver on the policy there needs to be more specialist teachers and more funding.
一时间,“math(数学)”成了外媒报道苏纳克的关键词,而苏纳克要落实政策,离不开方方面面的数学问题。
《卫报》网站的一篇分析指出:教师短缺将成为苏纳克的严重的数学问题
首相希望学生学数学一直学到18岁,但是十年来政府都没完成教师征聘目标
天空新闻也报道,在批评“反数学心态”后,苏纳克也承认英国需要更多教师。
报道称,在经济合作与发展组织(OECD)的38个发达经济体中,英国是数学能力最差的国家之一,也是世界上少数几个并不要求学生在18岁前学习数学的国家之一。
The UK is one of the least numerate countries among the 38 Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) advanced economies, and is one of the few nations worldwide that does not require its students to learn maths up until they are 18.
报道还援引唐宁街的说法,三分之一的英国学生无法通过英国普通初级中学毕业的数学考试,超过800万成年人的计算能力可能还不及9岁学生。
Downing Street claims about a third of children fail to pass GCSE maths, and more than eight million adults have numeracy skills below those expected of a nine-year-old.
彭博社的报道则认为,苏纳克在转移焦点,通过“学数学”的话题让选民们不要关注当前英国面临的危机。文章称,英国政府目前仍在尽力终结扰乱公共服务的罢工运动。
综合来源:环球网,天空新闻,彭博社,BBC