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Should Maths and Science be compulsory up the age of 18?

They have this system in Japan and I think it'd be good to implement it in our current system.

Many people give up on STEM subjects from a very young age, but of course a lot of the students mature as well and realize they should pursue STEM subjects (because all the high paying jobs and jobs with significance to society, are in the STEM fields) which they wouldn't be able to do if they didn't pick maths or science a levels.

What do you think TSR? :rolleyes:

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Reply 1

Arkasia

Maths should be, Science shouldn't. Compulsory subjects should include: Maths, English and a Language.

Reply 2

alpen

Original post by Arkasia

Maths should be, Science shouldn't. Compulsory subjects should include: Maths, English and a Language.

Only Maths, trying to put all 3 on someone is too much if they despise all 3

just make people get good at maths

Reply 3

Fairytail

Original post by Arkasia

Maths should be, Science shouldn't. Compulsory subjects should include: Maths, English and a Language.

Why Languages?

Reply 4

Arkasia

Original post by alpen

Only Maths, trying to put all 3 on someone is too much if they despise all 3

just make people get good at maths

By English I don't mean Literature. I mean making them efficient at reading and writing, just as they should be good at maths.

Reply 5

alpen

Original post by Arkasia

By English I don't mean Literature. I mean making them efficient at reading and writing, just as they should be good at maths.

Oh I might agree with you there, but reading and writing comprehension is usually covered by the age of 16 whilst peoples mathematical ability leaves much to be desired

Reply 6

Arkasia

Original post by Fairytail

Why Languages?

Languages is an extension on English in my eyes. Some people don't speak it as a first language, so if they study it, I would count it as 'learning a language'. I am just keeping English separate so that the option is still there to choose to do some kind of language.

Reply 7

Arkasia

Original post by alpen

Oh I might agree with you there, but reading and writing comprehension is usually covered by the age of 16 whilst peoples mathematical ability leaves much to be desired

Trust me, the levels of reading and writing comprehension in this country is utterly dismal. Stopping at 16 is not the right choice, as there are way too many people who don't have adequate levels of these necessary abilities.

LOL-No

English: Maybe, but only if they had lower than C at GCSE
Languages: Eurgh, I dropped all languages in year 9 because I could not grasp them at all. I continued to get E's and D's on all my French work, yet making someone study for a pointless subject until they are 18 is a waste of time
Maths: Only if they had lower than C, I really struggle with maths and worked hard for a C, another two years would kill me!
Sciences: Pointless

Reply 10

Novascope

No, because I was taught the fundamentals of maths at a young age. The rest of what I was taught has proved to be irrelevant to my life today and pointless. I'm 18 now, and the thought of me only just now finishing maths makes me cringe. Maths could be taught up until 18, but only for those who really want it... But that's what A Levels are for...

-Oh and the same goes for science!

Reply 11

Chlorophile

No. There is absolutely no point on forcing these subjects on people who hate them or can't do them. Regardless of what politicians say, the fact of the matter is that there are lots of people who, whilst intelligent, are simply not academic - their skills are vocational. This doesn't mean they're worse, it just means that an academic system doesn't work for them and I really don't understand the point of forcing someone who bitterly hates and struggles with Maths to study it up to 18 when their life ambition is to become an actor.

Rather than forcing people to take STEM subjects - which will only make them hate them more - we should focus on changing the curriculum to make them more interesting and reflect the true nature of the subjects better. For instance, science is all about questioning and experimentation whereas the KS1-3, GCSE and A Level curricula give the impression that it's about rote-learning facts.